Meta Identifies Possible Hacking Attempts on WhatsApp Accounts

On Friday, Meta revealed that it had identified possible hacking attempts targeting WhatsApp accounts of U.S. officials from both the Biden and Trump administrations. The company attributed these attempts to the Iranian hacking group APT42, previously linked to compromises within the Trump campaign.

In a blog post, Meta described the situation as a “small cluster of likely social engineering activity” on WhatsApp. This involved accounts impersonating technical support for major tech companies like AOL, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft. Meta stated that it had blocked these accounts after users flagged the activity as suspicious.

Details of the Hacking Attempts:

According to Meta, there was no evidence that the targeted WhatsApp accounts had been successfully compromised. The hacking attempts were part of broader efforts by APT42, a group suspected of having ties to an Iranian military intelligence division. APT42 is known for using surveillance software to record calls, steal text messages, and activate cameras and microphones on victims’ mobile phones.

Link to U.S. Presidential Campaign Breaches:

Meta’s blog post linked these activities to recent reports by Microsoft and Google, which detailed similar breaches aimed at U.S. presidential campaigns. The hacking attempts come as the U.S. approaches its presidential election in November.

Scope of the Targeted Individuals:

Meta did not disclose the names of the individuals targeted but noted that the hackers focused on political and diplomatic officials, business figures, and other public personalities. The targeted individuals were located in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Iran, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

This development underscores ongoing concerns about cyber threats and the security of communication platforms used by high-profile officials and public figures.