WhatsApp Claims It Thwarted an NSO Spyware Campaign
3 hours ago
- #WhatsApp security
- #spyware campaigns
- #NSO Group
- 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.