Interior Ministry warned of WhatsApp vulnerability to automated spying

The security system of the WhatsApp messenger (owned by Meta Corporation, recognized as extremist and banned in Russia) has been found to have a problem that allows malicious programs to automatically penetrate users' devices. This was reported on February 14 by the department for organizing the fight against the illegal use of information and communication technologies of the Russian Interior Ministry.

"A serious problem has been identified in the security system of the WhatsApp messenger, allowing spyware (Software. - Ed.) to automatically penetrate users' devices without their participation," the department wrote in its Telegram channel.

It is specified that Graphite malware infiltrates devices via infected PDF files that are distributed via group chats. The infection occurred automatically even if users did not download or open the trojan media.

Georgy Volkov, a member of the IT industry support commission of the Public Council under the Russian Ministry of Digital Economy, said it was "a critical security failure that jeopardizes millions of people."

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On February 11, the IS company Angara Security reported that in the run-up to the holidays, attackers have come up with new fraud schemes. Thus, attackers can report about a supposed parcel with a gift from a relative who placed an order in an expensive salon. A Russian can rashly confirm the delivery address and give an SMS code to a courier who will "deliver the parcel".