INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
WhatsApp is fighting back following a cyberattack that installed spyware on users' smartphones.The Facebook-owned company has filed a
lawsuit against the Israeli cyber intelligence firm NSO Group claiming it created an exploit that made the attack possible.According to the
targeted users would think they were getting a call, when really the malware would infect their device with spyware that gave attackers
complete access to their smartphone.Breaking WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption has proven difficult which is why governments and mobile
spyware companies have started targeting the devices that sent or received messages instead
Why hack the service itself when you can hack a device to obtain its data?WhatsApp was able to quickly patch the vulnerability that made the
attack possible and while the NSO Group was believed to be responsible at that time, WhatsApp did not publicly call out the cyber
intelligence firm until now.After the lawsuit was filed, vice president of WhatsApp, Will Cathcart published an op-ed in TheWashington Post
in our complaint, we learned that the attackers used servers and Internet-hosting services that were previously associated with NSO
In addition, as our complaint notes, we have tied certain WhatsApp accounts used during the attacks back to NSO
Additionally government officials and diplomats were also targeted.The NSO Group has disputed WhatsApp's claims but we won't know the full
story until the lawsuit goes to trial.Via TechCrunch
