An exact number of Austrian victims is not yet known, but it is assumed to be "in the low single digits," according to the Data Protection Authority. There is also no information available about the perpetrators of the cyberattack.

Investigations Into Spying on WhatsApp Users With Spyware Underway

The investigations will likely be conducted in a cooperative procedure of the data protection authorities under the leadership of the Irish supervisory authority, in accordance with EU law. The EU-responsible branch of WhatsApp is located in Ireland. According to the Italian government, which recently released details about the attack, phone numbers from 14 states in the EU alone are affected. The Directorate of State Protection and Intelligence (DSN) is taking action against cyberattacks "in accordance with the legal mandate and with the legally available means," emphasized the Ministry of the Interior in its statement. However, it is currently not possible to provide further information on the specific incident.

Journalists and Activists Spied on With "Graphite" Software

The US tech company Meta, owner of WhatsApp, announced the cyberattack on 90 users from "around two dozen countries" at the end of January. After discovering the attack, they immediately sent a cease-and-desist letter to the manufacturer Paragon Solutions. It later became known that journalists and activists in Europe were spied on with the "Graphite" software. The company Paragon Solutions, founded in Israel and now US-owned, produces surveillance software for state actors. However, they only work with democratic states, and the usage agreements do not allow spying without a legal basis, the company stated.

(APA/Red)

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