WhatsApp said on Friday it had uncovered an advanced cyberespionage campaign that exploited a chain of security vulnerabilities in both the app and Apple devices to carry out hacks.
A researcher with Amnesty International noted that unidentified members of civil society groups appeared to be among those affected.
In a brief statement, the Meta Platforms-owned communications service said it had patched the flaw that enabled hackers to exploit a secondary vulnerability on Apple devices and hijack the machines. WhatsApp added that fewer than 200 users worldwide were potentially impacted.
Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, head of Amnesty’s Security Lab, told Reuters that his team had begun collecting forensic data from potential victims.
In a post on X, he said initial evidence suggested the hacking campaign “was impacting both iPhone and Android users, civil society individuals among them.” He added that other applications beyond WhatsApp may also have been targeted.
