A vulnerability discovered in Facebook’s WhatsApp messaging app is being exploited to inject commercial spyware onto Android and iOS phones by simply calling the target, reports The Financial Times. The spyware, developed by Israel’s secretive NSO group, can be installed without trace and without the target answering the call, according to security researchers and confirmed by WhatsApp.
Once installed, the spyware can turn on a phone’s camera and mic, scan emails and messages, and collect the user’s location data. WhatsApp is urging its 1.5 billion global users to update the app immediately to close the security hole.
“WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices,” said WhatsApp in a statement.
Facebook issued a security advisory on Monday apparently in relation to the WhatsApp vulnerability. “A buffer overflow vulnerability in WhatsApp VOIP stack allowed remote code execution via specially crafted series of SRTCP packets sent to a target phone number,” according to the advisory. The vulnerability exists in the following versions of WhatsApp:
WhatsApp for Android prior to v2.19.134
WhatsApp Business for Android prior to v2.19.44
WhatsApp for iOS prior to v2.19.51
WhatsApp Business for iOS prior to v2.19.51
WhatsApp for Windows Phone prior to v2.18.348
WhatsApp for Tizen prior to v2.18.15
The vulnerability discovered in early May, was targeted as recently as Sunday when a UK-based human rights lawyer was attacked by NSO’s flagship Pegasus program, according to researchers at Citizens Lab. The attack was blocked by WhatsApp. WhatsApp is investigating the situation but is so far unable to estimate the number of phones successfully targeted by the exploit, said a source speaking to the FT.
This is why we shouldn’t be using the internet
As you write this comment on… The internet
Actually I’m using radio, with a filter.
Even if you are not personally on it, all your financial, medical …everything that you need is on the internet. So it has to be kept safe and secure.
We didn’t need the internet for the last 5000 years. We didn’t use it in Russia and Judaism was just fine.
Ever heard of the canonists?
Ever heard of Russians going off the Derech? in MASS groups?
I’m sorry to break it to you but not all Jewish history was sweet chicken pie where everyone was fully religious. in 2019, the challenge is smartphones. 200 years ago? 500 years ago? They also had challenges, just as hard for them as smartphones are hard for us today. That’s was makes Judaism rewarding. that we can overcome our challenges from the secular world and stay true to Hashem and his Torah.
Looks like spam to me.
This is NOT SPAM, if you check it out on google, you’ll see different news stations reporting it, plus theirs videos about it too. So don’t be so quick to say it’s spam, b4 checking to see if it is.
how could you know for sure?
What if my phone is too old to update the whatsapps??
This link will help you out https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/android/28000009/?category=5245260
another website to check out, easier. http://www.whatsappfordummies.com/
i think we should start a crown heights newspaper. this way, people wont be addicted to their phones but still know whats going on. i think something needs to be done fast before klal yisroel has a serious problem
Thats a great idea!
It should be called LOL, Lubavitch OffLine!
Im laughing out loud right now!!
I think ill put it into the press. Should I write yechi on top or not?
ill keep you posted