WhatsApp RI Tapped: Thousands Affected, Identify Traits
- JAKARTA – Thousands of WhatsApp users globally were reportedly targeted by surveillance technology developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, according to documents related to a 2019...
- According to a Tech Crunch report citing lawsuit documents, a total of 1,223 users were targeted six years ago.These users resided in 51 different countries.
- Indonesia was among the nations where whatsapp users were affected, with 54 individuals reportedly targeted by the Pegasus spyware.
WhatsApp Users Worldwide Targeted by Israeli Spyware, Report Says
JAKARTA – Thousands of WhatsApp users globally were reportedly targeted by surveillance technology developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, according to documents related to a 2019 WhatsApp lawsuit. The spyware, known as Pegasus, allegedly compromised the devices of over a thousand individuals across dozens of countries.
According to a Tech Crunch report citing lawsuit documents, a total of 1,223 users were targeted six years ago.These users resided in 51 different countries.
Indonesia was among the nations where whatsapp users were affected, with 54 individuals reportedly targeted by the Pegasus spyware.
Mexico saw the highest number of victims,with 456 users allegedly compromised. India followed, with approximately 100 individuals reportedly targeted.
Other countries affected included Bahrain (82), Morocco (69), pakistan (58), Israel (51), Spain (21), the Netherlands (11), Hungary (8), France (7), Britain (2), and the United States (1).
WhatsApp’s complaint alleges the hacking occurred between April and May 2019.
Tech Crunch noted the difficulty in definitively identifying the NSO Group’s government clients, as victims spanned various countries, including Syria, to which the company reportedly could not legally export its technology.
Previous reports indicate that NSO Group severed ties with 10 government clients following reports of spyware misuse. Licensing for WhatsApp hacking tools reportedly cost as much as $6.8 million annually.
Signs Your WhatsApp May be Compromised
Here are some potential indicators that your WhatsApp account may have been compromised:
- Unexpected OTPs: be wary of receiving WhatsApp One-Time Password (OTP) codes without requesting them. OTPs are used to access whatsapp accounts, and an unsolicited OTP could indicate unauthorized access attempts. Never share your OTP with anyone.
- Sudden logouts: Being unexpectedly logged out of your WhatsApp account could mean another party has gained access and forced you out.
- Read Messages: If you notice messages marked as read that you haven’t opened, it could be a sign of unauthorized access.
- Sent Messages you Didn’t Send: The appearance of sent messages to other accounts that you did not initiate is a strong indicator of a compromised account.
- unfamiliar Status Updates: suspicious or unknown status updates appearing on your account could indicate a hijacking.
- Unrecognized Calls: Phone calls made from your account that you did not initiate are another potential sign of unauthorized access.