WhatsApp Claims It Thwarted an NSO Spyware Campaign

5 hours ago

WhatsApp detected and thwarted a new spyware campaign by NSO Group, known for Pegasus spyware used against high-profile targets.
NSO uses zero-day exploits, often requiring multiple exploits to compromise devices due to improved OS security in iOS and Android, making their tools valuable and expensive.
The recent social engineering attempts involved malicious links to external sites and creation of test accounts/groups on WhatsApp, similar to past 1-click phishing campaigns.
WhatsApp had previously prevented an NSO attack in 2019 and won a legal ruling barring NSO from targeting its users, which this attack violates.
To counter such threats, WhatsApp, Apple (with iMessage enhancements like BlastDoor), and Signal are improving app security, but broader adoption of memory-safe languages and sandboxing is needed for better protection against state-backed malware.

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