Full story
WhatsApp Purges Spyware App
WhatsApp discovered a sophisticated spyware campaign affecting about 200 users.
“Our security team proactively identified around 200 users primarily in Italy who we believe may have downloaded this malicious unofficial client”
The fake app was created by Italian surveillance company SIO and distributed outside official app stores.
WhatsApp logged out affected users, alerted them, and urged deletion of the malicious client.
SIO's Government Ties Explored
The spyware was traced back to SIO's subsidiary ASIGINT which develops surveillance solutions for governments.
WhatsApp's discovery came less than 18 months after naming Paragon Solutions' Graphite.
Italian telecom providers often collaborate with authorities to distribute spyware.
Spyware's Capabilities
Spyrtacus can intercept SMS and messages on WhatsApp, Signal, and Messenger.
“Spyrtacus can intercept SMS and messages, record calls and ambient sounds, and capture images via the phone's camera”
It records calls and ambient sounds, and captures images via the phone's camera.
This was not a WhatsApp vulnerability; end-to-end encryption remains effective for official apps.
Legal and Ethical Implications
WhatsApp plans to send a formal legal demand to SIO.
The incident exemplifies tensions at the intersection of commercial tech, government surveillance, and human rights.
State actors hide malware in fake apps rather than exploiting known vulnerabilities.