SAN FRANCISCO: Intelligence agencies around the world use innovative technology to spy on important personalities, with questions now being raised on the WhatsApp video call feature.
According to international media reports, WhatsApp has accused Israeli technology firm NSO Group of hacking a mobile phone for spying.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco, WhatsApp said the Israeli firm hacked nearly 1,400 users of mobile phones while facilitating spying for the government.
Israeli hacking victims include 20 countries in four continents, with the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and Bahrain leading. The Israeli firm hacked WhatsApp users’ mobile phones to spy on top government officials, diplomats and key figures in those countries.
The messaging service says that the Israeli firm badly affected WhatsApp’s calling system and transmitted viruses to the user’s mobile devices and that the purpose of the process was to spy on NSO’s clients by using the mobile phone owner’s confidential information. Had to be sent to other secret agencies.
The NSO, on the other hand, strongly dismissed the allegations as controversial and declared them to be vigorous.