'Pegasus' malware—typically sold to intelligence agencies—can spy on calls and texts while also recording audio and video from phones.
WhatsApp is urging users to download the latest version of the software amid reports that a notorious form of malware had been used for phone surveillance.
The powerful"Pegasus" malware—typically sold by the firm to intelligence agencies—can spy on voice calls and text messages while also recording audio and video from phones. While staying ahead of nation state hacking threats its extremely difficult, making sure your app is updated is, thankfully, a simple process. On Android, go to the Play Store and tap the"Update" button that appears next to the WhatsApp logo. On iOS, it is the same process but using the App Store. New software versions contain the newest features and bug fixes, WhatsApp said.
In a statement to the BBC, NSO Group said its spy tools are used for combating “crime and terror”—despite its software having been linked to the surveillance of human rights groups in the past. The firm distanced itself from the newly-exposed surveillance operation. WhatsApp did not reference the company’s name in its public response, but noted it had “all the hallmarks of a private company known to work with governments to deliver spyware.” The cyberattack was likely highly-targeted in nature, but the investigation remains ongoing.
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