WhatsApp vs. Spyware: How Paragon’s Graphite Got Booted Off the Chat!
WhatsApp patched a zero-click, zero-day vulnerability used to install Paragon’s Graphite spyware. After a stealthy attack, the spyware could access private messages and sensitive data. While Paragon insists it’s only for law enforcement, WhatsApp is not amused by this unsolicited “app update” and continues to shield user privacy.
Hot Take:
WhatsApp apparently decided that defending its users from spyware is just another day at the office. Forget CVE-IDs, they went all out with a James Bond-style “zero-click” patch, thwarting Paragon’s undercover operations. It seems even spyware with a fancy name like Graphite can’t outrun the swift code ninjas at WhatsApp. Kudos to Citizen Lab for the espionage-worthy detective work, uncovering this spyware saga worthy of a spy novel!
Key Points:
- WhatsApp patched a zero-click, zero-day vulnerability exploited by Paragon’s Graphite spyware.
- No CVE-ID was assigned, as WhatsApp resolved the issue without a client-side fix.
- Affected users were notified, including journalists and activists from over two dozen countries.
- Graphite spyware was found to escape Android sandboxing to compromise other applications.
- Citizen Lab linked Paragon’s infrastructure to multiple governments and developed detection methods for the spyware.