WhatsApp Spyware: Italian Firm ASIGINT Accused
A person looks intently at a phone displaying a distorted WhatsApp logo and code in a dimly lit room.
Key Highlights
WhatsApp accuses Italian firm ASIGINT of tricking 200 users into downloading spyware disguised as WhatsApp. Targeted campaign primarily in Italy.
WhatsApp has stated that an Italian surveillance company tricked around 200 users into downloading a fraudulent version of its widely used messaging application, which was designed to spy on victims.
In a released statement, the Meta Platforms-owned service identified the company as ASIGINT, a subsidiary of SIO, based in northern Italy. SIO’s website promotes its “high-performance, field-proven cyber intelligence solutions and technology.”
WhatsApp explained that the campaign was “highly targeted” and involved deceiving victims into installing “malicious software that impersonated WhatsApp.” The company specified that the victims were “primarily” located in Italy.
SIO, which claims to partner with “Law Enforcement Agencies, Government Organizations, Police and Intelligence Agencies” on its website, has not yet responded to requests for comments. Italy’s interior ministry directed inquiries to the police, who also have not yet issued a statement.
This marks the second instance in 15 months that Meta has publicly disrupted spyware activity originating from Italy, which is still addressing the repercussions of the exposure of a surveillance operation in early 2025 that utilized spyware from the US-owned firm Paragon. Italy and Paragon have since ended their collaboration.