Fake WhatsApp Version for iPhone Apparently Made by an Italian Spyware Vendor to Target Individuals t3358 Technology News

The fake WhatsApp version for iPhone could be used by hackers to gain details of individuals through a specially crafted configuration file. x1u3p

By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 4 February 2021 11:52 IST

Fake WhatsApp Version for iPhone Apparently Made by an Italian Spyware Vendor to Target Individuals

Photo Credit: Reuters 3v6d2p

WhatsApp has assured action against the fake version that has apparently been made by Cy4Gate

Highlights

WhatsApp for iPhone fake version could target specific individuals
It could be used to get details of targeted people
WhatsApp is already suing NSO Group for abusing its infrastructure

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A fake version of WhatsApp for iPhone appears to have been made by Italian surveillance company Cy4Gate to target specific individuals, according to a report. It could have allowed hackers to gather information about targeted s by tricking them to install certain configuration files on their iPhone. The information that the hackers could obtain include — but not limited to — the Unique Device Identifier (UDID) as well as the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). In 2019, WhatsApp was exploited by a spyware developed by Israel's NSO Group that enabled entities to target journalists and human right activists in global regions including India.

Cybersecurity research lab at the University of Toronto, Citizen Lab, WhatsApp version emerged after security company ZecOps tweeted about the detection of attacks against s on the instant messaging app.

A site was found with domain config5-dati[.]com that was tricking visitors to install the fake app that was actually a special configuration file for the iPhone, Motherboard reported. It appeared to have been designed to gather information about the victims and send it back to the hackers.

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Upon seeing the URL of the tricking site, Motherboard found multiple clusters of domains associated with the publicly shared link. Some variations of the original URL were also discovered. One of them was config1-dati[.]com that appeared to be a phishing page tricking individuals to install the fake version of WhatsApp. It looked legitimate, with WhatsApp branding and professional graphics, and provided instructions to the s on how to install a configuration file on the iPhone to get the fake version installed.

Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marczak noted that the configuration file provided by the phishing page was allowing the attacker to send device details including the UDID and IMEI to a server. The researchers, however, didn't find what other data the file could have provided from the device.

There was no clear reference of whether the fake version of WhatsApp was linked with Cy4Gate that works with law agencies and the government in Italy. However, a set of domains was found that at one point shared an IP address with the config5-dati[.]com domain. That set brought notice to another set of domains that followed similar conventions, and one of them was ed to “cy4gate srl.” This suggested the linkage with the Italian surveillance company.

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A WhatsApp spokesperson assured action against the fake version. “We strongly oppose abuse from spyware companies, regardless of their clientele. Modifying WhatsApp to harm others violates our of service. We have and will continue to take action against such abuse, including in court,” the spokesperson said, as quoted by Motherboard.

“To help keep chats safe, we recommend that people WhatsApp from the app store for their phone's platform. In addition, we may temporarily ban people using modified WhatsApp clients we detect to help encourage people to WhatsApp from an authoritative source,” the spokesperson added.

NSO Group's Pegasus spyware wasn't the only option for entities to gain WhatsApp details. Cy4Gate may have a similar system in place to acquire data by tricking some specific targeted individuals through the fake version of the app.

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