Meta
Company Details
Linkedin ID:
meta
Website:
Employees number:
140,153
Number of followers:
11,513,481
NAICS:
5112
Industry Type:
Homepage:
metacareers.com
IP Addresses:
291
Company ID:
MET_3105525
Scan Status:
Completed
Meta Company CyberSecurity Posture
metacareers.com
Meta's mission is to build the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible. Our technologies help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. To help create a safe and respectful online space, we encourage constructive conversations on this page. Please note the following: • Start with an open mind. Whether you agree or disagree, engage with empathy. • Comments violating our Community Standards will be removed or hidden. Please treat everybody with respect. • Keep it constructive. Use your interactions here to learn about and grow your understanding of others. • Our moderators are here to uphold these guidelines for the benefit of everyone, every day. • If you are seeking support for issues related to your Facebook account, please reference our Help Center (https://www.facebook.com/help) or Help Community (https://www.facebook.com/help/community). For a full listing of our jobs, visit https://www.metacareers.com
Meta A.I CyberSecurity Scoring
Meta Risk Score (AI oriented)Between 700 and 749
Meta
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Meta Global Score (TPRM)XXXX
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Meta Company CyberSecurity News & History
Past Incidents
32
Attack Types
4
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: Russian court fines social media company Facebook $63,000 over data law breach. Facebook failed to comply with a Russian data law. The Tagansky District Court in Moscow fined Facebook for its refusal to put its server holding data about Russian citizens on Russian territory.
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: Facebook is charged with another fine. This time the social network is handing over CAD$9 million (US$6.5 million / £5.3 million) to Canada as part of a settlement. Facebook “made false or misleading claims about the privacy of Canadians’ personal information on Facebook and Messenger” and improperly shared data with third-party developers. Facebook gave the impression that users could control who could see and access their personal information on the Facebook platform when using privacy features. Facebook also allowed certain third-party developers to access the personal information of users’ friends after they installed certain third-party applications.
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the economy of a geographical region
Description: Meta has been fined €265 million ($275.5 million) by the Irish data protection commission (DPC) for the data leak suffered by Facebook. It exposed the data belonging to millions of Facebook users. The Data Protection Commission is also imposing a range of corrective measures on Meta. On April 3rd, 2021, a user leaked the phone numbers and personal data of 533 million Facebook users in a hacking forum for free online. Leaked data included users’ phone numbers, Facebook IDs, full names, locations, birthdates, bios, and for some accounts the associated email addresses.
Facebook (Meta)
Cyber Attack
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: The **FileFix attack** impersonated a **Facebook security alert**, tricking users into executing malicious commands disguised as a PDF file appeal process. Victims unknowingly ran a **multi-stage payload** that dropped the **StealC infostealer**, a malware capable of harvesting credentials from **browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc.)**, **cryptocurrency wallets (20+ types)**, **messaging apps (Telegram, Discord, Thunderbird)**, **VPNs (OpenVPN, Proton VPN)**, **cloud services (AWS, Azure)**, and **gaming platforms (Ubisoft, Battle.net)**. The attack leveraged **AI-generated decoy images** (e.g., houses, doors) embedded with **PowerShell scripts** and encrypted executables, evading detection by mimicking benign user actions (downloading a JPG). The malware also checked for **virtual machines (VMs)** to avoid sandbox analysis. While the article does not confirm **direct financial losses or data breaches** at Facebook, the campaign’s **global reach** (US, Germany, China, etc.) and **sophisticated evasion techniques** suggest **high-risk exposure** for users’ **personal, financial, and corporate credentials**. The attack’s **rapid evolution** (from a July 2023 PoC to a **517% surge in 6 months**) highlights its effectiveness in bypassing traditional phishing defenses, posing **reputational harm** to Facebook’s platform security and **potential downstream fraud** for affected users.
Cyber Attack
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: A Las Vegas man called Spam King had faced federal fraud charges for allegedly luring Facebook users to third-party websites and collecting personal data for spam list. He used to trick people into revealing their login details which he then used to access half a million accounts and used this to send spam to other Facebook users. He also used to target the users with bogus "friend requests" for distributing spam.
Data Leak
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with internal employee data leaks
Description: Data from millions of Facebook users who used a popular personality app was left exposed online for anyone to access. Academics at the University of Cambridge distributed the data from the personality quiz app myPersonality to hundreds of researchers via a website with insufficient security provisions. It led to it being left vulnerable to access for four years & gaining access illicitly was relatively easy. The data was highly sensitive, revealing personal details of Facebook users, such as the results of psychological tests. Facebook suspended myPersonality from its platform saying the app may have violated its policies due to the language used in the app and on its website to describe how data is shared. More than 6 million people completed the tests on the myPersonality app and nearly half agreed to share data from their Facebook profiles with the project. All of this data was then scooped up and the names removed before it was put on a website to share with other researchers.
Data Leak
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: A threat actor published the phone numbers and account details of about 533 million Facebook users. The leaked data included information that users posted on their profiles including Facebook ID numbers, profile names, email addresses, location information, gender details, and job data. The database also contained phone numbers for all users, information that is not always public for most profiles.
Cyber Attack
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: Instagram faces an explosion of AI-generated influencer accounts using deepfake technology to steal videos from real models and monetize them. This trend undermines the platform's credibility and the income of authentic creators. Real models' views have plummeted, directly impacting their livelihoods. Instagram's lack of action against this widespread issue has industrialized AI exploitation, signaling a concerning shift towards AI dominance in social media content.
Meta
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: Meta faced a significant privacy breach as the Texas attorney general accused it of capturing biometric data of millions of Texans without consent, utilising a facial recognition feature. Although no explicit data leakage was reported, the breach posed a reputational risk and raised concerns over personal data handling, resulting in a massive $1.4 billion settlement. This incident highlights the increasing scrutiny of tech giants regarding data privacy practices, and their potential financial and reputational impacts.
Meta
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: Meta's virtual reality headsets have been implicated in a potential security breach through the use of Big Mama VPN, a free VPN service that sells access to users' home internet connections. Teenagers have been using this VPN to cheat in the game Gorilla Tag by creating a delay to easily ‘tag’ opponents. However, the same service has been linked to cybercriminal activities, as it allows buyers to hide their online activities by piggybacking on the VR headset's IP address. While this tactic mainly targets individual users for in-game advantage, it has been associated with residential proxy services, which are popular among cybercriminals for conducting cyberattacks using proxy networks and botnets. This could lead to more significant privacy and security breaches for Meta's VR headset users.
Facebook (Meta)
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: The article references violations in the **US case against Facebook**, highlighting systemic failures in data protection. Allegations include **misleading privacy settings**, **indiscriminate sharing of user data with third parties without explicit consent**, and **failure to disclose data breaches** in a timely manner. These lapses eroded user trust and exposed sensitive personal data to unauthorized entities, violating core principles of **choice and consent**—a cornerstone of modern data privacy laws like India’s **DPDP Act**. The breaches led to **reputational damage**, **regulatory scrutiny**, and **potential financial penalties** (e.g., the $5 billion FTC fine in 2019 for similar violations). The incident underscores the risks of **poor governance**, **lack of transparency**, and **contractual liabilities** for processors handling user data, aligning with the article’s warning about cascading consequences for non-compliance in third-party ecosystems.
Meta
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization’s existence
Description: Facebook disclosed that 87 million users far more than the 50 million people who first believed have been impacted by the Cambridge Analytica issue. Mike Schroepfer, the chief technology officer of Facebook, offered further information about the matter, including updated estimates of the total number of users impacted. Additionally, the CTO described how Facebook gives its users new privacy tools. Following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook removed several Russian accounts that were propagandised.
Meta
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization's existence
Description: During antitrust proceedings, Meta’s legal team failed to properly redact sensitive documents, leaving critical internal and competitor information exposed. The flawed PDF redaction allowed entire paragraphs—including Apple’s iMessage metrics, Snap’s TikTok threat assessments, and Meta’s strategic evaluations—to be recovered via simple copy-paste. The leak triggered public backlash, with Apple questioning Meta’s trustworthiness, Snap calling the handling 'egregious,' and Google citing a 'casual disregard' for confidentiality. The exposed data, worth millions in R&D and legal positioning, included proprietary business intelligence and competitor insights, damaging Meta’s reputation and regulatory standing. The incident highlighted systemic failures in document sanitization, metadata removal, and oversight, exacerbating risks in an era where AI can rapidly exploit such oversights.
Meta
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with internal employee data leaks
Description: Meta suffered a data privacy breach after dozens of employees and contractors — including Meta security guards revealed they were improperly accessing users’ accounts. The employees and contractors wrongly used Facebook’s internal mechanism for helping password-forgetting users reclaim their accounts. They even assisted third parties to fraudulently take control over Instagram accounts. The Meta fired the employees as soon as it got to know about the incident.
Facebook (Meta)
Cyber Attack
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: Facebook (Meta) faced a massive data breach leading to a **$725 million settlement** for compromised user data. Following the payout announcement, scammers exploited the situation by creating **fake settlement claim websites and phishing emails** to trick victims into divulging sensitive information—such as **Social Security numbers, banking details, and personal data**. These fraudulent schemes mimicked official settlement portals, leveraging urgency, fake trust badges, and deceptive URLs to harvest credentials. While the original breach itself involved unauthorized exposure of user records, the secondary attack—**phishing scams targeting settlement claimants**—expanded the impact by enabling identity theft, financial fraud, and further data exploitation. The incident highlights how breach settlements can become vectors for **follow-on cybercrime**, amplifying risks for affected individuals long after the initial incident.
Meta (WhatsApp)
Cyber Attack
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: A fast-spreading **screen-sharing scam** on WhatsApp exploited the platform’s screen-sharing feature (introduced in 2023) to deceive users into granting scammers remote access to their devices. The attackers posed as trusted entities (e.g., bank employees or Meta support agents), using psychological manipulation—trust, urgency, and panic—to trick victims into sharing screens or installing remote-access tools like **AnyDesk** or **TeamViewer**. Once access was granted, scammers stole **banking credentials, passwords, and one-time passwords (OTPs)**, leading to **massive financial losses globally**. A notable case in **Hong Kong** resulted in a victim losing **~$700,000 USD**.Meta responded by deploying **AI-powered real-time warnings** for unsaved contacts during screen-sharing attempts and dismantling **8 million scam-linked accounts** and **21,000 fake customer service pages** across high-risk regions (Myanmar, Cambodia, UAE, etc.). Despite mitigation efforts, the scam’s **widespread financial fraud**—targeting individuals via **phishing and social engineering**—highlighted vulnerabilities in user trust and platform security. The attack primarily compromised **personal financial data**, with no evidence of systemic infrastructure breaches or ransomware involvement.
Meta
Cyber Attack
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the economy of geographical region
Description: In Moldova, intrusive ad campaigns and disinformation operations targeting social media users have been deployed on platforms like Facebook and TikTok, leading to considerable political unrest. Earning at least $200,000 from these politically motivated ads, Meta's platforms have become conduits for a pro-Kremlin faction seeking to influence election outcomes and destabilize local governance, undermining societal trust and contributing to diplomatic tensions which can potentially threaten the nation's geopolitical affiliations and internal stability.
Meta
Data Leak
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: Facebook suffered from a data breach incident that exposed over 267 million Facebook users' information. The compromised information includes names, phone numbers, and profiles. The database was available online without a password, exposing sensitive personal data to anyone who accessed it. It was unidentified exactly how the data had been accessed or what it was being used for. It was found that the data could be used for spam messaging and phishing campaigns and the company said they contacted the internet service provider that was hosting the database.
Meta
Data Leak
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack without any consequences
Description: The names and profile pictures of users who were a part of certain groups, according to Facebook Inc., were shared privately by users within some groups on its main social network. Which users shared posts or left comments inside a group could be seen by a programme that enables information sharing between Facebook and outside developers. Access to the material has reportedly been withdrawn or restricted, according to the organisation. A recent examination by the corporation revealed that this additional information was also being distributed.
Meta
Data Leak
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: Meta suffered a data privacy breach that exposed 100 of million phone numbers linked to Facebook accounts that have been found online. The exposed server contained more than 419 million records over several databases on users across geographies, including 133 million records on U.S.-based Facebook users, 18 million records of users in the U.K., and another with more than 50 million records on users in Vietnam. But because the server wasn’t protected with a password, anyone could find and access the database. Each record contained a user’s unique Facebook ID and the phone number listed on the account, which can be easily used to discern an account’s username.
Meta (WhatsApp)
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with internal employee data leaks
Description: A critical **vulnerability** in WhatsApp’s **contact discovery feature** was exposed by researchers at the University of Vienna, enabling attackers to perform **large-scale account enumeration** via brute-force queries. The flaw allowed adversaries to verify the existence of up to **3.5 billion WhatsApp accounts** by uploading massive lists of phone numbers and exploiting WhatsApp’s server responses to confirm active accounts. While Meta patched the issue, the vulnerability posed severe risks, including the creation of **targeted phishing databases**, **identity-based social engineering**, and **multi-platform fraud operations** by associating phone numbers with user metadata (e.g., profile photos, statuses).The attack leveraged WhatsApp’s **phone-number-based identity system**, which lacks privacy controls, making users—especially in regions with low cybersecurity awareness—vulnerable to **reverse enumeration**. Though no direct data breach or financial loss occurred, the flaw exposed systemic weaknesses in **secure identity management**, highlighting the trade-off between **user convenience** (contact syncing) and **privacy risks**. Meta’s response included rate-limiting and code fixes, but the incident underscores the need for **pseudonymous identifiers** (e.g., hashed numbers) and **zero-knowledge proofs** to prevent future exploitation.
Meta
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with internal employee data leaks
Description: Meta uncovered a medium-severity vulnerability in the WhatsApp application for Windows that could deceive users into executing malicious .exe files, misleadingly represented as innocuous images. The flaw exploited MIME type and filename extension mismatches to manipulate file representations within the chat. Although there was no recorded abuse of this flaw in the wild, Meta promptly addressed the issue through an update recommended for all users to mitigate potential exploitation that could compromise systems through social engineering tactics. The vulnerability, having been a potential vector for cyberattacks via widely circulated images within WhatsApp groups, posed a significant threat to user security.
Meta
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: A researcher discovered a bug in the Meta AI chatbot that allowed unauthorized access to private user conversations. The bug was reported to Meta, which awarded the researcher a $10,000 bounty. The bug allowed anyone to view private prompts and responses by changing unique identification numbers, potentially exposing a host of users' conversations. Meta confirmed the fix and stated no evidence of abuse was found.
Meta Platforms (WhatsApp)
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: A zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) was discovered in WhatsApp’s linked-device synchronization feature, allowing unauthorized users to force a target device to process malicious content from arbitrary URLs. When combined with an Apple OS-level flaw (CVE-2025-43300), this could enable remote exploitation via image previews—bypassing user interaction. The NCC Group’s assessment further revealed risks in WhatsApp’s Message Summarization Service, including potential leakage of secret user data, reuse of outdated Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) images with known vulnerabilities, and full container access privileges for attackers. Exploitation could also compromise RA-TLS private keys, enabling attacker impersonation of secure containers. While Meta mitigated risks with layered defenses and runtime attestation, the vulnerabilities posed a high-risk vector for targeted attacks, data exfiltration, and unauthorized system access. CISA issued urgent advisories, recommending patching, network monitoring, and temporary avoidance of WhatsApp until fixes were deployed.
Meta
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization’s existence
Description: Meta detected a high-severity security vulnerability in the FreeType font rendering library that has likely been exploited. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-27363 with a CVSS score of 8.1, enables remote code execution through manipulated TrueType GX and variable fonts. Versions up to 2.13.0 are affected, with the risk extending to various Linux distributions. Although a patch was issued two years prior, it remains unapplied in systems like Ubuntu 22.04, Debian, Amazon Linux 2, Alpine Linux, RHEL, and CentOS. Meta urges immediate updates to FreeType 2.13.3 to prevent further exploitation of this vulnerability.
Meta: State-linked groups target critical vulnerability in React Server Components
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization's existence
Description: Researchers warn that critical vulnerabilities in Meta’s React Server Components and Next.js are under threat from botnets and state-linked adversaries. China-nexus threat groups, tracked as Earth Lamia and Jackpot Panda, attempted to exploit a vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-55182 in React, within a few hours of the flaw being disclosed on Wednesday, according to a blog post released Thursday by CJ Moses, chief information security officer at Amazon. The vulnerability, dubbed React2Shell, enables an unauthenticated attacker to achieve remote code execution due to unsafe deserialization of payloads sent to React Server Function endpoints. Researchers at GreyNoise are reporting opportunistic, mostly automated attempts to exploit React2Shell, according to a blog post published Friday. They are beginning to see a slow migration of the flaw being “added to Mirai and other botnet exploitation kits,” according to GreyNoise. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Friday. Researchers at Palo Alto Networks said nearly 970,000 servers run modern frameworks like React and Next.js, and the risk is widespread. “This newly discovered flaw is a critical threat because it is a master key exploit, succeeding not by crashing the system, but by abusing its trust in incoming data structures,” said Justin Moore, senior manager of threat intel research at PAN Unit 42. “The system executes the malicious payload w
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization's existence
Description: A well-known hacking community forum was selling a 2022 database of 487 million WhatsApp user mobile numbers. The dataset allegedly contained WhatsApp user data from 84 countries including over 32 million US user records. It also contained another huge chunk of phone numbers belonging to the citizens of Egypt (45 million), Italy (35 million), Saudi Arabia (29 million), France (20 million), and Turkey (20 million).
Data Leak
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack limited on finance or reputation
Description: The bug was found on WhatsApp's platform. Phone numbers of crores of users have been published on Google. Mobile numbers of 29,000 to 30,000 users were appearing in text format on Google due to the bug.
WhatsApp (Meta)
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with internal employee data leaks
Description: WhatsApp disclosed a **zero-click vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177)** in its iOS and macOS apps, exploited in **targeted zero-day attacks** alongside an Apple OS-level flaw (CVE-2025-43300). The flaw allowed attackers to **bypass authorization** and force devices to process malicious content from arbitrary URLs, enabling **spyware deployment** (e.g., Paragon’s *Graphite*). WhatsApp confirmed the attacks were **highly sophisticated**, likely state-sponsored, targeting **journalists, civil society members, and high-profile individuals** over 90 days. While WhatsApp patched the issue and warned affected users, the **malware may persist** on compromised devices, requiring **factory resets**. The attack mirrors a March 2025 incident where WhatsApp disrupted a **Paragon spyware campaign** exploiting a similar zero-day. The **combination of WhatsApp and Apple OS vulnerabilities** suggests **advanced persistent threat (APT) actors** leveraged multi-stage exploits to **infiltrate devices silently**, exfiltrate data, and maintain persistence. No evidence of **mass data breaches** was reported, but the **targeted nature** implies **high-value intelligence gathering**, potentially compromising **sensitive communications, contacts, and device integrity** of victims. Users were urged to update software and reset devices to mitigate risks.
WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc.)
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: Security researchers from the University of Vienna exposed a critical **vulnerability** in WhatsApp’s contact discovery mechanism, enabling the enumeration of **3.5 billion phone numbers globally** by exploiting weak rate-limiting protections. The flaw allowed attackers to query **63 billion candidate numbers** across 245 countries, retrieving not just phone numbers but also **public profile pictures (77M from US users, 66% with detectable faces), status messages, business account details, device information, encryption keys, and timestamps**.The breach posed severe risks, particularly in **banned regions** (e.g., 2.3M active accounts in China, 1.6M in Myanmar, 59M in Iran), where users could face **government surveillance or legal repercussions**. Cross-referencing with the **2021 Facebook leak** revealed that **50% of exposed numbers remained active**, highlighting persistent threats like **spam, phishing, and robocalls**. While WhatsApp mitigated the issue post-disclosure (e.g., rate-limiting, restricting profile picture access), the incident underscored systemic privacy risks in centralized platforms, where **convenience features become attack vectors at scale**. End-to-end encryption for messages remained intact, but the **mass exposure of metadata and linked identities** created long-term surveillance and targeting risks.
WhatsApp (Meta)
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: WhatsApp disclosed a zero-click exploit chain targeting specific users by combining a WhatsApp vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) with an Apple Image I/O framework flaw (CVE-2025-43300). Attackers sent malicious messages to dozens of users, exploiting out-of-bounds memory writes in Apple’s image processing system and unauthorized WhatsApp message synchronization to compromise devices without user interaction. The attack allowed full device takeover, including access to messages, media, and other sensitive data. Affected users were advised to perform a factory reset, though residual malware risks persisted. The exploit leveraged a chained infection vector, primarily impacting iOS and Mac users, with Android devices potentially exposed via separate attack paths. WhatsApp patched the flaw in updates (iOS v2.25.21.73+, Mac v2.25.21.78+), but the incident highlighted the severity of zero-click threats in spyware campaigns, where no user action is required for compromise. Amnesty International linked the attack to advanced surveillance operations, emphasizing the risk to high-profile targets.
Vulnerability
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks
Description: A critical vulnerability identified in WhatsApp for Windows allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending seemingly harmless file attachments that exploit the application's handling of MIME types and file extensions. Designated as CVE-2025-30401, the high-severity flaw affects versions up to 2.2450.5 and has been rectified in version 2.2450.6. The spoofing vulnerability could deceive users into interacting with malicious attachments, leading to unauthorized execution of code and potential data theft. This issue also raises concerns in group chats where a single malicious attachment can compromise multiple users. Immediate updating to a patched version is urged.
Meta Company Scoring based on AI Models
Cyber Incidents Likelihood 3 - 6 - 9 months
A.I Risk Score Likelihood 3 - 6 - 9 months
Underwriter Stats for Meta
Incidents vs Software Development Industry Average (This Year)
Meta has 1279.31% more incidents than the average of same-industry companies with at least one recorded incident.
Incidents vs All-Companies Average (This Year)
Meta has 925.64% more incidents than the average of all companies with at least one recorded incident.
Incident Types Meta vs Software Development Industry Avg (This Year)
Meta reported 8 incidents this year: 1 cyber attacks, 0 ransomware, 6 vulnerabilities, 1 data breaches, compared to industry peers with at least 1 incident.
Incident History — Meta (X = Date, Y = Severity)
Meta cyber incidents detection timeline including parent company and subsidiaries
Meta Company Subsidiaries
Meta's mission is to build the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible. Our technologies help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. To help create a safe and respectful online space, we encourage constructive conversations on this page. Please note the following: • Start with an open mind. Whether you agree or disagree, engage with empathy. • Comments violating our Community Standards will be removed or hidden. Please treat everybody with respect. • Keep it constructive. Use your interactions here to learn about and grow your understanding of others. • Our moderators are here to uphold these guidelines for the benefit of everyone, every day. • If you are seeking support for issues related to your Facebook account, please reference our Help Center (https://www.facebook.com/help) or Help Community (https://www.facebook.com/help/community). For a full listing of our jobs, visit https://www.metacareers.com
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Meta CyberSecurity News
November 20, 2025 05:58 AM
WhatsApp Vulnerability leaks Meta Data of 3.5 billion users
Cybersecurity experts have recently uncovered a critical vulnerability in the WhatsApp messaging platform that potentially exposed metadata belonging to...
November 18, 2025 04:48 PM
Meta’s WhatsApp Bug Bounty: Inside the Push for Ironclad Messaging Security
In a bold move to fortify the defenses of its flagship messaging app, Meta has poured $4 million into bug bounties for WhatsApp researchers...
November 18, 2025 01:59 PM
WhatsApp And Meta Pay Hackers $4 Million — What To Know
Meta and WhatsApp have confirmed payments to hackers of $4 million for cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Here's why that is a very good thing...
November 17, 2025 12:27 PM
Critical RCE Vulnerabilities in AI Inference Engines Exposes Meta, Nvidia and Microsoft Frameworks
As artificial intelligence infrastructure rapidly expands, critical security flaws threaten the backbone of enterprise AI deployments.
November 14, 2025 08:00 AM
Reuters Blows Lid on Meta's Fraud Profit Scandal
The latest edition of the Seriously Risky Business cybersecurity newsletter, now on Lawfare.
November 14, 2025 08:00 AM
Researchers Find Serious AI Bugs Exposing Meta, Nvidia, and Microsoft Inference Frameworks
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered critical remote code execution vulnerabilities impacting major artificial intelligence (AI)...
October 28, 2025 07:00 AM
Fake alerts, real anxiety: Exposing an active scareware plot spreading via Meta newsfeeds
ESET discovered scareware in H1 2025 in form of standard paid advertisements on the Meta platform that mimicked device alerts using rumble...
October 27, 2025 07:00 AM
Pwn2Own Hackers Privately Report WhatsApp Zero-Click Vulnerability to Meta
During the Pwn2Own Ireland 2025 hacking competition, held in Cork from October 21 to 23, cybersecurity researchers from Team Z3 withdrew...
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore insights on cybersecurity incidents, risk posture, and Rankiteo's assessments.
Meta CyberSecurity History Information
Official Website of Meta
The official website of Meta is https://www.metacareers.com/.
Meta’s AI-Generated Cybersecurity Score
According to Rankiteo, Meta’s AI-generated cybersecurity score is 744, reflecting their Moderate security posture.
How many security badges does Meta’ have ?
According to Rankiteo, Meta currently holds 0 security badges, indicating that no recognized compliance certifications are currently verified for the organization.
Does Meta have SOC 2 Type 1 certification ?
According to Rankiteo, Meta is not certified under SOC 2 Type 1.
Does Meta have SOC 2 Type 2 certification ?
According to Rankiteo, Meta does not hold a SOC 2 Type 2 certification.
Does Meta comply with GDPR ?
According to Rankiteo, Meta is not listed as GDPR compliant.
Does Meta have PCI DSS certification ?
According to Rankiteo, Meta does not currently maintain PCI DSS compliance.
Does Meta comply with HIPAA ?
According to Rankiteo, Meta is not compliant with HIPAA regulations.
Does Meta have ISO 27001 certification ?
According to Rankiteo,Meta is not certified under ISO 27001, indicating the absence of a formally recognized information security management framework.
Industry Classification of Meta
Meta operates primarily in the Software Development industry.
Number of Employees at Meta
Meta employs approximately 140,153 people worldwide.
Subsidiaries Owned by Meta
Meta presently has no subsidiaries across any sectors.
Meta’s LinkedIn Followers
Meta’s official LinkedIn profile has approximately 11,513,481 followers.
NAICS Classification of Meta
Meta is classified under the NAICS code 5112, which corresponds to Software Publishers.
Meta’s Presence on Crunchbase
No, Meta does not have a profile on Crunchbase.
Meta’s Presence on LinkedIn
Yes, Meta maintains an official LinkedIn profile, which is actively utilized for branding and talent engagement, which can be accessed here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meta.
Cybersecurity Incidents Involving Meta
As of December 11, 2025, Rankiteo reports that Meta has experienced 32 cybersecurity incidents.
Number of Peer and Competitor Companies
Meta has an estimated 27,532 peer or competitor companies worldwide.
What types of cybersecurity incidents have occurred at Meta ?
Incident Types: The types of cybersecurity incidents that have occurred include Vulnerability, Breach, Cyber Attack and Data Leak.
What was the total financial impact of these incidents on Meta ?
Total Financial Loss: The total financial loss from these incidents is estimated to be $2.11 billion.
How does Meta detect and respond to cybersecurity incidents ?
Detection and Response: The company detects and responds to cybersecurity incidents through an remediation measures with firing of employees involved, and containment measures with access withdrawn or restricted, and remediation measures with facebook removed several russian accounts that were propagandised, remediation measures with facebook gives its users new privacy tools, and remediation measures with update to freetype 2.13.3, and remediation measures with patch applied in version 2.2450.6, and communication strategy with urging immediate update to patched version, and remediation measures with software update, and remediation measures with bug fix, and and third party assistance with amnesty international security lab (investigation), and containment measures with whatsapp server-side patches to block exploit, containment measures with user notifications with mitigation steps, and remediation measures with whatsapp app updates (ios v2.25.21.73+, mac v2.25.21.78+), remediation measures with apple security updates for image i/o framework, remediation measures with factory reset recommendation for affected users, and recovery measures with device updates (os and whatsapp), recovery measures with security feature enablement (e.g., google advanced protection for android), and communication strategy with direct notifications to affected users, communication strategy with public advisory via blog/press, communication strategy with collaboration with amnesty international for technical details, and and third party assistance with ncc group (security assessment), third party assistance with cisa (advisory), and containment measures with security patches released (whatsapp v2.25.21.73+), containment measures with disabling linked-device sync from unauthenticated endpoints, containment measures with cisa advisory to monitor outbound http traffic, and remediation measures with layered defense model (meta), remediation measures with runtime attestation of critical components, remediation measures with client-side enforcement for data consent, and communication strategy with public security advisory (whatsapp), communication strategy with cisa warning to organizations, communication strategy with ncc group report publication, and enhanced monitoring with monitoring for unusual outbound http requests (cisa recommendation), and and third party assistance with amnesty international security lab, third party assistance with university of toronto's citizen lab, and containment measures with patching vulnerable whatsapp versions (ios/macos), containment measures with disrupting paragon's graphite spyware campaign, and remediation measures with user notifications, remediation measures with factory reset recommendations, remediation measures with os/software update advisories, and communication strategy with direct alerts to targeted users, communication strategy with public security advisory, communication strategy with media statements, and third party assistance with acronis threat research unit, and communication strategy with public disclosure via the register, communication strategy with research report by acronis, and remediation measures with audit of document workflows, remediation measures with adoption of permanent redaction tools, remediation measures with automated pii detection (ai/nlp), remediation measures with audit trails for accountability, remediation measures with validation testing of redacted files, and communication strategy with expert insights publication (techradar pro), communication strategy with industry awareness campaigns, and enhanced monitoring with monitoring of public datasets/forums for leaked data, and third party assistance with cybersecurity consulting firms (e.g., ey india), and remediation measures with map personal data flows, remediation measures with implement encryption and access controls, remediation measures with define breach notification timelines (internal), remediation measures with centralize compliance programs, and communication strategy with stakeholder consultations by government, communication strategy with industry alignment directives, and law enforcement notified with ftc, law enforcement notified with ic3, law enforcement notified with cfpb, and containment measures with public awareness campaigns, containment measures with ftc refunds page updates, and remediation measures with reporting mechanisms for fake sites, remediation measures with consumer education on red flags, and recovery measures with data removal services recommendations, recovery measures with antivirus software promotion, and communication strategy with media coverage (e.g., fox news), communication strategy with cyberguy.com advisories, communication strategy with ftc alerts, and on demand scrubbing services with data removal services (e.g., cyberguy.com recommendations), and enhanced monitoring with antivirus software for malicious link blocking, and and third party assistance with eset (research analysis), and containment measures with ai-powered real-time screen-sharing warnings for unsaved contacts, containment measures with removal of 8m scam-linked accounts, containment measures with takedown of 21k fake customer service pages, and remediation measures with user education campaigns, remediation measures with enhanced account security prompts (e.g., two-step verification), and communication strategy with public advisories (meta blog, eset report), communication strategy with reddit community warnings, and enhanced monitoring with ai-driven scam detection, and incident response plan activated with yes (collaboration with researchers), and third party assistance with university of vienna security researchers, and containment measures with cardinality-based rate limiting using probabilistic data structures, containment measures with restricted access to profile pictures and status messages (even if set to public), containment measures with removed timestamps from profile picture queries, and remediation measures with fixed key reuse vulnerability in android clients, remediation measures with enhanced api protections against bulk enumeration, and communication strategy with public disclosure with mitigation details; emphasized end-to-end encryption remains intact, and enhanced monitoring with likely (implied by rate-limiting fixes), and and third party assistance with university of vienna researchers (disclosure), and containment measures with codebase patches to restrict contact query abuse, and remediation measures with implemented limits on contact list uploads, remediation measures with enhanced rate-limiting for queries, and communication strategy with public acknowledgment of vulnerability, communication strategy with technical disclosure via research collaboration..
Incident Details
Can you provide details on each incident ?
Title: Spam King Cyber Incident
Description: A Las Vegas man called Spam King faced federal fraud charges for allegedly luring Facebook users to third-party websites and collecting personal data for spam list. He tricked people into revealing their login details which he then used to access half a million accounts and used this to send spam to other Facebook users. He also targeted the users with bogus 'friend requests' for distributing spam.
Type: Phishing, Unauthorized Access, Spam Distribution
Attack Vector: PhishingFriend Requests
Vulnerability Exploited: Social Engineering
Threat Actor: Spam King
Motivation: Financial Gain, Data Collection
Title: Data Breach of myPersonality App on Facebook
Description: Data from millions of Facebook users who used the myPersonality app was left exposed online for anyone to access due to insufficient security provisions.
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Insufficient Security Provisions
Vulnerability Exploited: Inadequate data protection measures
Title: WhatsApp User Data Breach
Description: A well-known hacking community forum was selling a 2022 database of 487 million WhatsApp user mobile numbers. The dataset allegedly contained WhatsApp user data from 84 countries including over 32 million US user records. It also contained another huge chunk of phone numbers belonging to the citizens of Egypt (45 million), Italy (35 million), Saudi Arabia (29 million), France (20 million), and Turkey (20 million).
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Data Exfiltration
Motivation: Financial Gain
Title: Facebook Data Leak
Description: A threat actor published the phone numbers and account details of about 533 million Facebook users. The leaked data included information that users posted on their profiles including Facebook ID numbers, profile names, email addresses, location information, gender details, and job data. The database also contained phone numbers for all users, information that is not always public for most profiles.
Type: Data Breach
Title: Facebook Data Leak
Description: A user leaked the phone numbers and personal data of 533 million Facebook users in a hacking forum for free online.
Date Detected: 2021-04-03
Type: Data Leak
Attack Vector: Hacking Forum
Threat Actor: Unknown
Title: Meta Data Privacy Breach
Description: Meta suffered a data privacy breach after dozens of employees and contractors — including Meta security guards — revealed they were improperly accessing users’ accounts.
Type: Data Privacy Breach
Attack Vector: Insider Threat
Vulnerability Exploited: Internal mechanism for helping password-forgetting users reclaim their accounts
Threat Actor: EmployeesContractorsSecurity Guards
Motivation: Unauthorized access to user accounts and assisting third parties
Title: Russian Court Fines Facebook for Data Law Breach
Description: Russian court fines social media company Facebook $63,000 over data law breach. Facebook failed to comply with a Russian data law by refusing to put its server holding data about Russian citizens on Russian territory.
Type: Data Law Breach
Title: Facebook Fined for Privacy Violations in Canada
Description: Facebook is charged with another fine. This time the social network is handing over CAD$9 million (US$6.5 million / £5.3 million) to Canada as part of a settlement. Facebook made false or misleading claims about the privacy of Canadians’ personal information on Facebook and Messenger and improperly shared data with third-party developers. Facebook gave the impression that users could control who could see and access their personal information on the Facebook platform when using privacy features. Facebook also allowed certain third-party developers to access the personal information of users’ friends after they installed certain third-party applications.
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Improper Access Control
Vulnerability Exploited: Privacy Controls
Threat Actor: Third-party Developers
Motivation: Data Access
Title: WhatsApp Data Leak Incident
Description: A bug on WhatsApp's platform resulted in the phone numbers of millions of users being published on Google. Mobile numbers of approximately 29,000 to 30,000 users were appearing in text format on Google due to the bug.
Type: Data Leak
Attack Vector: Bug in Platform
Vulnerability Exploited: Bug
Title: Meta Data Privacy Breach
Description: Meta suffered a data privacy breach that exposed 100 million phone numbers linked to Facebook accounts that have been found online.
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Unprotected Server
Vulnerability Exploited: Unprotected Server
Title: Facebook Group Data Sharing Incident
Description: The names and profile pictures of users who were a part of certain groups, according to Facebook Inc., were shared privately by users within some groups on its main social network. Which users shared posts or left comments inside a group could be seen by a programme that enables information sharing between Facebook and outside developers. Access to the material has reportedly been withdrawn or restricted, according to the organisation. A recent examination by the corporation revealed that this additional information was also being distributed.
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Data Sharing Program
Vulnerability Exploited: Information Sharing Program
Title: Facebook Data Breach
Description: Facebook suffered from a data breach incident that exposed over 267 million Facebook users' information. The compromised information includes names, phone numbers, and profiles. The database was available online without a password, exposing sensitive personal data to anyone who accessed it. It was unidentified exactly how the data had been accessed or what it was being used for. It was found that the data could be used for spam messaging and phishing campaigns and the company said they contacted the internet service provider that was hosting the database.
Type: Data Breach
Motivation: Spam messagingPhishing campaigns
Title: Cambridge Analytica Data Incident
Description: Facebook disclosed that 87 million users, far more than the 50 million people who were first believed to have been impacted, were affected by the Cambridge Analytica issue. Mike Schroepfer, the chief technology officer of Facebook, offered further information about the matter, including updated estimates of the total number of users impacted. Additionally, the CTO described how Facebook gives its users new privacy tools. Following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook removed several Russian accounts that were propagandised.
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Third-Party App
Vulnerability Exploited: User Data Misuse
Threat Actor: Cambridge Analytica
Motivation: Data Collection
Title: Meta Biometric Data Breach
Description: Meta faced a significant privacy breach as the Texas attorney general accused it of capturing biometric data of millions of Texans without consent, utilising a facial recognition feature. Although no explicit data leakage was reported, the breach posed a reputational risk and raised concerns over personal data handling, resulting in a massive $1.4 billion settlement.
Type: Privacy Breach
Attack Vector: Facial Recognition Feature
Vulnerability Exploited: Unauthorized Biometric Data Collection
Threat Actor: Texas Attorney General
Motivation: Legal Enforcement
Title: Intrusive Ad Campaigns and Disinformation Operations in Moldova
Description: In Moldova, intrusive ad campaigns and disinformation operations targeting social media users have been deployed on platforms like Facebook and TikTok, leading to considerable political unrest. Earning at least $200,000 from these politically motivated ads, Meta's platforms have become conduits for a pro-Kremlin faction seeking to influence election outcomes and destabilize local governance, undermining societal trust and contributing to diplomatic tensions which can potentially threaten the nation's geopolitical affiliations and internal stability.
Type: Disinformation Campaign
Attack Vector: Social Media AdsDisinformation
Threat Actor: Pro-Kremlin Faction
Motivation: Political Influence
Title: AI-Generated Influencer Accounts on Instagram
Description: Instagram faces an explosion of AI-generated influencer accounts using deepfake technology to steal videos from real models and monetize them. This trend undermines the platform's credibility and the income of authentic creators. Real models' views have plummeted, directly impacting their livelihoods. Instagram's lack of action against this widespread issue has industrialized AI exploitation, signaling a concerning shift towards AI dominance in social media content.
Type: Content Theft and Fraud
Attack Vector: Deepfake Technology
Vulnerability Exploited: Lack of Content Verification Mechanisms
Motivation: Monetization
Title: Meta VR Headset Security Breach via Big Mama VPN
Description: Meta's virtual reality headsets have been implicated in a potential security breach through the use of Big Mama VPN, a free VPN service that sells access to users' home internet connections. Teenagers have been using this VPN to cheat in the game Gorilla Tag by creating a delay to easily ‘tag’ opponents. However, the same service has been linked to cybercriminal activities, as it allows buyers to hide their online activities by piggybacking on the VR headset's IP address. While this tactic mainly targets individual users for in-game advantage, it has been associated with residential proxy services, which are popular among cybercriminals for conducting cyberattacks using proxy networks and botnets. This could lead to more significant privacy and security breaches for Meta's VR headset users.
Type: Security Breach
Attack Vector: Big Mama VPN
Vulnerability Exploited: Home internet connection access via VPN
Threat Actor: Teenagers and Cybercriminals
Motivation: In-game advantageCybercriminal activities
Title: High-Severity Vulnerability in FreeType Font Rendering Library
Description: Meta detected a high-severity security vulnerability in the FreeType font rendering library that has likely been exploited. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-27363 with a CVSS score of 8.1, enables remote code execution through manipulated TrueType GX and variable fonts. Versions up to 2.13.0 are affected, with the risk extending to various Linux distributions. Although a patch was issued two years prior, it remains unapplied in systems like Ubuntu 22.04, Debian, Amazon Linux 2, Alpine Linux, RHEL, and CentOS. Meta urges immediate updates to FreeType 2.13.3 to prevent further exploitation of this vulnerability.
Type: Vulnerability Exploitation
Attack Vector: Remote Code Execution
Vulnerability Exploited: CVE-2025-27363
Title: WhatsApp for Windows Vulnerability
Description: A critical vulnerability identified in WhatsApp for Windows allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending seemingly harmless file attachments that exploit the application's handling of MIME types and file extensions. Designated as CVE-2025-30401, the high-severity flaw affects versions up to 2.2450.5 and has been rectified in version 2.2450.6. The spoofing vulnerability could deceive users into interacting with malicious attachments, leading to unauthorized execution of code and potential data theft. This issue also raises concerns in group chats where a single malicious attachment can compromise multiple users. Immediate updating to a patched version is urged.
Type: Vulnerability Exploitation
Attack Vector: File Attachment Spoofing
Vulnerability Exploited: CVE-2025-30401
Title: WhatsApp Vulnerability Allows Malicious .exe Files to Pose as Images
Description: Meta uncovered a medium-severity vulnerability in the WhatsApp application for Windows that could deceive users into executing malicious .exe files, misleadingly represented as innocuous images. The flaw exploited MIME type and filename extension mismatches to manipulate file representations within the chat. Although there was no recorded abuse of this flaw in the wild, Meta promptly addressed the issue through an update recommended for all users to mitigate potential exploitation that could compromise systems through social engineering tactics. The vulnerability, having been a potential vector for cyberattacks via widely circulated images within WhatsApp groups, posed a significant threat to user security.
Type: Vulnerability Exploit
Attack Vector: Social Engineering
Vulnerability Exploited: MIME type and filename extension mismatches
Title: Meta AI Chatbot Bug Allowed Unauthorized Access to Private Conversations
Description: A researcher disclosed a bug in the Meta AI chatbot that allowed anyone to access private prompts and responses. The bug was reported and fixed, with Meta paying a $10,000 bounty to the researcher.
Date Detected: 2024-12-26
Date Resolved: 2025-01-24
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Unauthorized Access
Vulnerability Exploited: Unique Identification Number Guessing
Threat Actor: Sandeep Hodkasia (Researcher)
Motivation: Bug Bounty
Title: WhatsApp Zero-Click Exploit Chain Targeting iOS and Android Users via Malicious Messages
Description: WhatsApp patched a vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) exploited in conjunction with an Apple Image I/O framework vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300) to compromise devices via zero-click attacks. Attackers sent malicious messages to dozens of users, leveraging an out-of-bounds write flaw in Apple’s Image I/O and a WhatsApp synchronization message authorization bypass. Affected users were advised to perform a factory reset and update their devices. The attack targeted both iPhone and Android users, though the most severe zero-click risk applied primarily to Apple devices.
Type: Zero-click exploit
Attack Vector: Malicious message (WhatsApp)Exploit chaining (Apple Image I/O + WhatsApp sync flaw)Zero-click (no user interaction required)
Title: Zero-Day Vulnerability in Meta’s WhatsApp (CVE-2025-55177) Exploited in Targeted Attacks
Description: A zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) was discovered in WhatsApp, allowing unauthorized processing of content from arbitrary URLs via linked-device synchronization messages. The flaw, combined with an Apple OS-level vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300), was exploited in sophisticated attacks targeting specific users. CISA advised patching and disabling WhatsApp until a secure version was deployed. A separate NCC Group assessment revealed additional risks in WhatsApp’s Message Summarization Service, including potential data leaks and exploitation of outdated Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) images.
Type: Zero-day vulnerability
Attack Vector: Linked-device synchronization messagesMalicious image processing (via image IO library)Exploitation of OS-level vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300)
Vulnerability Exploited: CVE-2025-55177 (WhatsApp incomplete authorization)CVE-2025-43300 (Apple OS-level vulnerability)Outdated TEE image reuseConfidential Virtual Machine (CVM) exploitation
Motivation: Targeted surveillanceData exfiltrationPrivilege escalation
Title: WhatsApp Zero-Day Vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) Exploited in Targeted Spyware Attacks
Description: WhatsApp patched a zero-click security vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) in its iOS and macOS clients, exploited in targeted attacks. The flaw, combined with an Apple OS-level zero-day (CVE-2025-43300), enabled sophisticated spyware campaigns. WhatsApp warned select users of potential compromise via advanced spyware (e.g., Paragon's Graphite) and advised factory resets. The attack leveraged incomplete authorization in linked device synchronization to process arbitrary URLs on targets' devices.
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2025-09-20
Date Resolved: 2025-09-20
Type: Zero-day exploit
Attack Vector: Zero-click exploitLinked device synchronization vulnerabilityArbitrary URL processing
Vulnerability Exploited: CVE-2025-55177 (WhatsApp incomplete authorization)CVE-2025-43300 (Apple OS-level zero-day)
Threat Actor: Paragon (suspected)Advanced persistent threat (APT) actors
Motivation: EspionageTargeted surveillance
Title: FileFix Attack Dropping StealC Infostealer via Fake Facebook Security Alerts
Description: An attack called FileFix masquerades as a Facebook security alert, tricking victims into executing malicious commands that ultimately drop the StealC infostealer and malware downloader. The attack is a variation of ClickFix, a social-engineering technique that surged by 517% in the past six months. Victims are deceived into copying and pasting a command into a file upload window or File Explorer, which executes the payload. The attack uses AI-generated images (e.g., a bucolic house, intricate doors) embedded with PowerShell scripts and encrypted executables to evade detection. The final payload includes a Go-written loader that checks for VM environments before deploying StealC v2, which targets browsers, cryptocurrency wallets, messaging apps, VPNs, and cloud service credentials (Azure, AWS). The campaign has global reach, with submissions from multiple countries, and leverages BitBucket for hosting malicious images to avoid domain-based detection.
Date Detected: 2024-08-late
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2024-08-late
Type: Malware
Attack Vector: Fake Facebook Security AlertUser-Executed Command via File ExplorerAI-Generated Image PayloadsPowerShell Script Embedding
Vulnerability Exploited: Human Trust (Social Engineering)
Motivation: Data TheftCredential HarvestingFinancial Gain (Potential Ransomware/Fraud)
Title: Improper Document Redaction Leading to Exposure of Sensitive Corporate Data via AI Scraping
Description: Sensitive corporate data, including Windows product keys tied to a major bank, was exposed due to flawed redaction practices in shared documents. The data was later scraped and revealed through AI model jailbreaking. The incident highlights systemic weaknesses in document handling workflows, where visual redaction (e.g., black boxes over text) fails to permanently remove underlying data layers or metadata. This issue is exacerbated by AI models trained on improperly sanitized public datasets, amplifying the risk of high-value leaks. The case parallels Meta’s 2023 redaction failure in antitrust proceedings, where recoverable text exposed competitors' confidential strategies (e.g., Apple’s iMessage metrics, Snap’s TikTok assessments).
Type: Data Leak
Attack Vector: Poor Document HandlingInsufficient RedactionMetadata ExposureAI Scraping of Public Datasets
Vulnerability Exploited: Visual Redaction Without Data RemovalUnsanitized MetadataLack of Automated PII DetectionManual Redaction Errors
Threat Actor: Opportunistic CybercriminalsAI Model Trainers (Unintentional)Public Data Scrapers
Motivation: Financial Gain (Credential Theft)Competitive IntelligenceReputational DamageRegulatory Exploitation
Title: India's Evolving Data Privacy Landscape Under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act
Description: India’s data privacy framework is transitioning with the finalization of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act rules, imposing stricter obligations on data fiduciaries and processors. The Act emphasizes secure processing of personal data, breach notifications within 72 hours, and contractual liabilities for processors. Violations may include misleading privacy settings, indiscriminate third-party data sharing, and failure to disclose breaches. Processors face reputational, contractual, and operational risks, especially if they lack governance maturity. Proactive measures like data flow mapping, security controls, and centralized compliance are recommended to mitigate risks and align with fiduciary expectations. The government is prioritizing the DPDP Act’s implementation, signaling a shift toward robust digital governance.
Type: Regulatory Compliance Risk
Motivation: Regulatory Non-ComplianceContractual ObligationsReputational Risk
Title: Fake Settlement Claim Phishing Scams Targeting Facebook and AT&T Settlement Payouts
Description: Scammers are exploiting the $725 million Facebook settlement and $177 million AT&T settlement payouts by creating fake settlement claim emails and websites. These fraudulent sites mimic official settlement portals to steal personal information such as Social Security numbers, banking details, and other sensitive data. The scams leverage generic layouts, urgent language, and fake trust badges to deceive victims. Authorities and cybersecurity experts warn consumers to verify settlement sites through official channels like the FTC and avoid clicking on suspicious links or providing excessive personal information.
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2025-01-01
Type: Phishing
Attack Vector: Fake EmailsFake WebsitesSpoofed URLsAI-Generated Scam Sites
Vulnerability Exploited: Human Trust in Official-Looking CommunicationsLack of Public AwarenessGeneric Design of Legitimate Settlement Sites
Threat Actor: Opportunistic ScammersCybercriminals Leveraging AI Tools
Motivation: Financial GainIdentity TheftData Harvesting for Dark Web Sales
Title: WhatsApp Screen-Sharing Scam Exploiting Psychological Manipulation for Financial Theft and Data Breaches
Description: A fast-spreading screen-sharing scam on WhatsApp exploits the platform's screen-sharing feature (introduced in 2023) to steal money and personal data. Scammers impersonate trusted figures (e.g., bank employees or Meta support agents), create urgency, and trick victims into sharing their screens or installing remote-access tools (e.g., AnyDesk, TeamViewer). Once access is granted, scammers steal passwords, banking details, and one-time passwords (OTPs). The scam relies on psychological manipulation (trust, urgency, control) rather than technical exploits. Meta has responded with AI-powered real-time warnings for unsaved contacts and has taken down 8M scam-linked accounts and 21K fake pages impersonating customer service. A notable case in Hong Kong resulted in a $700,000 loss.
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2025-11-05
Type: social engineering
Attack Vector: phone call (WhatsApp video call)psychological manipulationscreen-sharing abuseremote-access tools (AnyDesk, TeamViewer)
Vulnerability Exploited: human trust/urgency biasWhatsApp screen-sharing feature (misuse)lack of user awareness
Threat Actor: organized scam ringsfinancially motivated cybercriminals
Motivation: financial gainidentity theftaccount takeover
Title: Critical WhatsApp Vulnerability Exposes 3.5 Billion User Phone Numbers and Profile Data
Description: Security researchers from the University of Vienna uncovered a critical vulnerability in WhatsApp’s contact discovery mechanism, allowing them to enumerate phone numbers of 3.5 billion users worldwide. The flaw stemmed from weak rate-limiting protections, enabling researchers to probe over 100 million phone numbers per hour. Beyond phone numbers, the vulnerability exposed public profile pictures, status messages, business account information, device details, encryption keys, and timestamps. Researchers successfully downloaded 77 million public profile pictures from US accounts, with 66% containing detectable human faces. The data could enable facial recognition-based lookup services, posing risks like spam, phishing, and surveillance—especially in countries where WhatsApp is banned (e.g., 2.3M active accounts in China, 1.6M in Myanmar, 59M in Iran). WhatsApp implemented countermeasures after responsible disclosure, including cardinality-based rate limiting and restricting access to public profile data.
Date Detected: 2024-12-01
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2025-04-01
Date Resolved: 2025-04-01
Type: Privacy Violation
Attack Vector: API AbuseWeak Rate LimitingReverse-Engineered APIs
Vulnerability Exploited: Contact Discovery Mechanism FlawCardinality-Based Rate Limiting BypassKey Reuse Vulnerability (Android)
Threat Actor: University of Vienna Security Researchers (Ethical Disclosure)
Motivation: Academic Research / Responsible Disclosure
Title: WhatsApp Contact Discovery Vulnerability Enabling Large-Scale Account Enumeration
Description: A serious flaw in WhatsApp’s contact discovery feature allowed attackers to verify the existence of up to 3.5 billion WhatsApp accounts through brute-force queries. The vulnerability, disclosed by researchers from the University of Vienna, exploited the contact syncing mechanism to infer active accounts based on random phone numbers. While Meta has patched the issue, the incident highlights fundamental privacy trade-offs in messaging applications that rely on phone number–based identity systems. The flaw could enable adversaries to build databases of legitimate users, associate metadata from profiles, and facilitate targeted phishing or fraud campaigns.
Type: Privacy Vulnerability
Attack Vector: Contact Discovery Feature AbuseBrute-Force QueriesMetadata Exploitation
Vulnerability Exploited: Lack of rate-limiting or size restrictions on contact list uploads, enabling mass verification of phone numbers associated with WhatsApp accounts.
Motivation: Data HarvestingTargeted Phishing PreparationIdentity-Based Social EngineeringFraud Enablement
Title: React2Shell Vulnerability Exploitation
Description: Critical vulnerabilities in Meta’s React Server Components and Next.js are under threat from botnets and state-linked adversaries. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-55182 (React2Shell), enables unauthenticated remote code execution due to unsafe deserialization of payloads sent to React Server Function endpoints.
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2025-01-08
Type: Remote Code Execution (RCE)
Attack Vector: Unsafe deserialization of payloads
Vulnerability Exploited: CVE-2025-55182 (React2Shell)
Threat Actor: Earth LamiaJackpot PandaMirai botnetChina-nexus threat groups
Motivation: Exploitation for remote code execution, potential data exfiltration, and botnet integration
What are the most common types of attacks the company has faced ?
Common Attack Types: The most common types of attacks the company has faced is Breach.
How does the company identify the attack vectors used in incidents ?
Identification of Attack Vectors: The company identifies the attack vectors used in incidents through Phishing, Friend Requests, Big Mama VPN, Malicious WhatsApp message (zero-click), Linked-device synchronization messagesMalicious image files (via image IO exploit), Linked device synchronization messages (WhatsApp vulnerability), Fake Facebook Security Alert PDFUser-Executed Command in File Explorer, Phishing EmailsFake WebsitesSocial Media DMsSMS Messages and WhatsApp video call from unsaved number.
Impact of the Incidents
What was the impact of each incident ?
Incident : Phishing, Unauthorized Access, Spam Distribution FAC222223422
Data Compromised: Personal Data, Login Details
Systems Affected: Facebook Accounts
Identity Theft Risk: High
Incident : Data Breach FAC02721722
Data Compromised: Personal details, Psychological test results
Incident : Data Breach WHA2315251122
Data Compromised: Mobile numbers
Incident : Data Breach FAC2341251122
Data Compromised: Facebook id numbers, Profile names, Email addresses, Location information, Gender details, Job data, Phone numbers
Incident : Data Leak FAC215421222
Data Compromised: Phone numbers, Facebook ids, Full names, Locations, Birthdates, Bios, Email addresses
Incident : Data Privacy Breach MET1717151222
Data Compromised: User account data
Incident : Data Breach FAC2050291222
Financial Loss: CAD$9 million (US$6.5 million / £5.3 million)
Data Compromised: Personal Information
Incident : Data Leak WHA21136123
Data Compromised: Phone numbers
Incident : Data Breach MET13011423
Data Compromised: Phone numbers, Facebook ids
Incident : Data Breach MET84930423
Data Compromised: Names, Profile pictures, Posts, Comments
Incident : Data Breach MET2298523
Data Compromised: Names, Phone numbers, Profiles
Incident : Data Breach MET34251223
Data Compromised: User Data
Incident : Privacy Breach MET000080424
Financial Loss: $1.4 billion
Data Compromised: Biometric Data
Brand Reputation Impact: High
Legal Liabilities: Significant
Incident : Disinformation Campaign MET000102024
Systems Affected: FacebookTikTok
Incident : Content Theft and Fraud INS000112224
Systems Affected: Instagram Platform
Operational Impact: Reduced Views for Real Models
Revenue Loss: Decreased Income for Authentic Creators
Brand Reputation Impact: Undermined Platform Credibility
Incident : Security Breach MET000122024
Systems Affected: Meta VR Headsets
Incident : Vulnerability Exploitation MET547032025
Systems Affected: Ubuntu 22.04DebianAmazon Linux 2Alpine LinuxRHELCentOS
Incident : Vulnerability Exploitation WHA623040825
Data Compromised: Potential data theft
Systems Affected: WhatsApp for Windows
Incident : Vulnerability Exploit MET642040825
Systems Affected: WhatsApp for Windows
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Data Compromised: Private prompts and responses
Systems Affected: Meta AI Chatbot
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Data Compromised: Messages, Device data (potential full access)
Systems Affected: iOS devicesMac devicesAndroid devices (limited scope)
Operational Impact: Potential full device compromise, including spyware installation
Brand Reputation Impact: Moderate (proactive disclosure and mitigation may limit damage)
Identity Theft Risk: High (if spyware installed)
Payment Information Risk: Potential (if device fully compromised)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Data Compromised: User data (potential leakage), Ra-tls private keys (risk of exposure), Container access privileges
Systems Affected: WhatsApp for iOS (prior to v2.25.21.73)WhatsApp Business for iOS (prior to v2.25.21.78)WhatsApp for Mac (prior to v2.25.21.78)Apple devices (via CVE-2025-43300)
Operational Impact: Risk of unauthorized container accessPotential supplanting of CVM via RA-TLS keysLoss of user trust
Brand Reputation Impact: Erosion of trust in WhatsApp/Meta securityConcerns over transparency and open-source verification
Identity Theft Risk: ['Potential (via data exfiltration)', 'RA-TLS key misuse']
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Data Compromised: Potential device compromise, Spyware installation (e.g., graphite)
Systems Affected: WhatsApp for iOS (<2.25.21.73)WhatsApp Business for iOS (<2.25.21.78)WhatsApp for Mac (<2.25.21.78)Apple iOS/macOS (via CVE-2025-43300)
Operational Impact: User notificationsFactory reset recommendationsOngoing risk of device compromise
Brand Reputation Impact: Potential erosion of trust due to targeted spyware attacks
Identity Theft Risk: ['High (via spyware capabilities)']
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Data Compromised: Browser credentials, Cryptocurrency wallet data, Messaging app data (telegram, discord, etc.), Vpn credentials, Cloud service keys (azure, aws), Game launcher credentials
Systems Affected: Windows (User Devices)Potential Enterprise Systems via Stolen Credentials
Brand Reputation Impact: Potential Reputation Damage for Facebook (Abused Brand Trust)
Identity Theft Risk: High (Stolen PII, Credentials, Financial Data)
Payment Information Risk: High (Cryptocurrency Wallets, Payment App Data)
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Data Compromised: Windows product keys, System credentials, Encryption keys, Pii, Corporate strategy documents (e.g., meta’s antitrust filings)
Operational Impact: Loss of Trust from Partners (e.g., Apple, Snap, Google)Legal ScrutinyIncreased Regulatory Risk
Brand Reputation Impact: Public Criticism from Competitors (e.g., Apple’s ‘trust’ concerns)Perception of ‘Casual Disregard’ for Confidentiality (Google)Egregious Handling Label (Snap)
Legal Liabilities: Potential GDPR/HIPAA/CPRA ViolationsAntitrust Proceedings Complications (Meta Case)
Identity Theft Risk: ['Exposed PII in Resumes/Contracts']
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Operational Impact: Increased due diligence for processorsContractual penalties for breachesScaling compliance challenges
Brand Reputation Impact: Loss of trust for non-compliant processorsDifferentiation for well-governed processors
Legal Liabilities: Contractual damages from fiduciariesPotential regulatory scrutiny (indirectly via fiduciaries)
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Data Compromised: Social security numbers (full or partial), Banking information, Personal identifiable information (pii)
Customer Complaints: ['Reports of Fraudulent Settlement Claims', 'Identity Theft Cases']
Brand Reputation Impact: Erosion of Trust in Legitimate Settlement ProcessesIncreased Skepticism Toward Official Communications
Identity Theft Risk: High
Payment Information Risk: High
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Financial Loss: $700,000 (Hong Kong case)massive global losses (unspecified total)
Data Compromised: Passwords, Banking details, One-time passwords (otps), Personal data
Systems Affected: WhatsApp accountsuser devices (via remote-access tools)banking apps/websites
Customer Complaints: ['widespread (evidenced by Reddit discussions)']
Brand Reputation Impact: moderate (Meta proactively addressing issue)
Identity Theft Risk: ['high (OTPs and banking details exposed)']
Payment Information Risk: ['high (direct access to banking apps)']
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Data Compromised: Phone numbers (3.5 billion), Public profile pictures (77 million from us accounts), Status messages, Business account information, Device details, Encryption keys, Timestamps, Facial recognition data (66% of profile pictures contained detectable faces)
Systems Affected: WhatsApp Contact Discovery APIWhatsApp Android Clients (Key Reuse Vulnerability)
Operational Impact: High (Potential for spam, phishing, robocalls, and surveillance risks)
Brand Reputation Impact: Moderate (Privacy concerns raised, but proactive mitigation by WhatsApp)
Identity Theft Risk: High (Facial recognition + phone number linkage)
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Data Compromised: Phone numbers, Account existence status, Potential profile metadata (e.g., photos, statuses)
Systems Affected: WhatsApp Contact Discovery System
Brand Reputation Impact: Potential Erosion of User Trust in Privacy ProtectionsCriticism of Phone Number–Based Identity Systems
Identity Theft Risk: ['Elevated Risk Due to Phone Number Exposure']
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Systems Affected: React Server Components, Next.js frameworks
Operational Impact: Potential unauthorized remote code execution on affected servers
What is the average financial loss per incident ?
Average Financial Loss: The average financial loss per incident is $65.91 million.
What types of data are most commonly compromised in incidents ?
Commonly Compromised Data Types: The types of data most commonly compromised in incidents are Personal Data, Login Details, Personal Details, Psychological Test Results, , Mobile Numbers, Personal Information, , Phone Numbers, Facebook Ids, Full Names, Locations, Birthdates, Bios, Email Addresses, , User account data, Personal Information, Phone Numbers, , Phone Numbers, Facebook Ids, , Names, Profile Pictures, Posts, Comments, , Names, Phone Numbers, Profiles, , User Data, Biometric Data, Private Prompts And Responses, , Messages, Device-Stored Data (Potential Full Access), , User Data (Potential), Ra-Tls Private Keys (Risk), Container Access Privileges, , Device Metadata, Potential Communications (Via Spyware), User Activity, , Credentials, Session Cookies, Cryptocurrency Wallet Data, Messaging App Data, Vpn Configurations, Cloud Service Keys, Pii (Potential), , Product Keys, System Credentials, Pii, Corporate Strategy Documents, Financial Data, Legal Filings, , Social Security Numbers, Banking Information, Personal Identifiable Information (Pii), , Credentials, Financial Data, Pii (Via Otps), , Phone Numbers, Profile Pictures, Status Messages, Business Account Info, Device Details, Encryption Keys, Timestamps, Facial Recognition Data, , Phone Number Existence Verification, Potential Profile Metadata (If Scraped) and .
Which entities were affected by each incident ?
Incident : Phishing, Unauthorized Access, Spam Distribution FAC222223422
Entity Name: Facebook
Entity Type: Social Media Platform
Industry: Technology
Location: Global
Size: Large
Customers Affected: 500,000
Incident : Data Breach FAC02721722
Entity Name: Facebook
Entity Type: Social Media Platform
Industry: Technology
Customers Affected: 6000000
Incident : Data Breach WHA2315251122
Entity Name: WhatsApp
Entity Type: Social Media Platform
Industry: Technology
Location: Global
Customers Affected: 84 countries including over 32 million US user records, 45 million from Egypt, 35 million from Italy, 29 million from Saudi Arabia, 20 million from France, and 20 million from Turkey
Incident : Data Breach FAC2341251122
Entity Name: Facebook
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Social Media
Customers Affected: 533 million
Incident : Data Leak FAC215421222
Entity Name: Meta
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Technology
Location: Global
Customers Affected: 533 million
Incident : Data Privacy Breach MET1717151222
Entity Name: Meta
Entity Type: Corporation
Industry: Social Media
Incident : Data Law Breach FAC2011201222
Entity Name: Facebook
Entity Type: Social Media Company
Industry: Technology
Incident : Data Breach FAC2050291222
Entity Name: Facebook
Entity Type: Social Network
Industry: Technology
Location: Global
Size: Large
Incident : Data Leak WHA21136123
Entity Name: WhatsApp
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Technology
Customers Affected: 30,000 users
Incident : Data Breach MET13011423
Entity Name: Meta
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Technology
Location: Global
Customers Affected: 100000000
Incident : Data Breach MET84930423
Entity Name: Facebook Inc.
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Social Media
Incident : Data Breach MET2298523
Entity Name: Facebook
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Social Media
Customers Affected: 267000000
Incident : Data Breach MET34251223
Entity Name: Facebook
Entity Type: Social Media Platform
Industry: Technology
Location: Global
Size: Large
Customers Affected: 87 million
Incident : Privacy Breach MET000080424
Entity Name: Meta
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Technology
Customers Affected: Millions of Texans
Incident : Disinformation Campaign MET000102024
Entity Name: Meta
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Social Media
Location: Moldova
Incident : Content Theft and Fraud INS000112224
Entity Name: Instagram
Entity Type: Social Media Platform
Industry: Technology
Customers Affected: Real Models and Authentic Creators
Incident : Vulnerability Exploitation MET547032025
Entity Type: Operating System Distributions
Industry: Technology
Incident : Vulnerability Exploitation WHA623040825
Entity Name: WhatsApp
Entity Type: Application
Industry: Technology
Incident : Vulnerability Exploit MET642040825
Entity Name: Meta
Entity Type: Company
Industry: Technology
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Entity Name: WhatsApp (Meta)
Entity Type: Messaging platform
Industry: Technology/Social Media
Location: Global
Customers Affected: Dozens of targeted users (exact number undisclosed)
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Entity Name: Apple Inc.
Entity Type: Technology company
Industry: Consumer Electronics/Software
Location: Global
Customers Affected: iOS and Mac users with unpatched devices
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Entity Name: Meta Platforms (WhatsApp)
Entity Type: Technology Company
Industry: Social Media/Messaging
Location: Global
Size: Large (Enterprise)
Customers Affected: Targeted users (specific individuals/organizations)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Entity Name: Apple Inc.
Entity Type: Technology Company
Industry: Consumer Electronics/Software
Location: Global
Size: Large (Enterprise)
Customers Affected: Users of vulnerable iOS/Mac devices
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Entity Name: WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc.)
Entity Type: Technology company
Industry: Messaging/Communication
Location: Global
Size: Large (2+ billion users)
Customers Affected: Targeted users (journalists, civil society members, high-risk individuals)
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Entity Name: Facebook (Brand Abused)
Entity Type: Social Media Platform
Industry: Technology
Location: Global
Customers Affected: Users Worldwide (US, Bangladesh, Philippines, Tunisia, Nepal, Dominican Republic, Serbia, Peru, China, Germany, etc.)
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Entity Name: Individual Victims
Entity Type: End Users
Location: Global (Multi-Country)
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Entity Name: Meta (Facebook)
Entity Type: Corporation
Industry: Technology/Social Media
Location: Global (HQ: Menlo Park, CA, USA)
Size: Large (10,000+ employees)
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Entity Name: Unnamed Major Bank
Entity Type: Financial Institution
Industry: Banking
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Entity Name: Apple
Entity Type: Corporation
Industry: Technology
Location: Global (HQ: Cupertino, CA, USA)
Size: Large (10,000+ employees)
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Entity Name: Snap Inc.
Entity Type: Corporation
Industry: Social Media
Location: Global (HQ: Santa Monica, CA, USA)
Size: Medium/Large
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Entity Name: Data Processors (General)
Entity Type: Third-Party Service Providers
Industry: All sectors handling personal data
Location: India
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Entity Name: Data Fiduciaries (General)
Entity Type: Organizations Determining Data Processing Purposes
Industry: All sectors handling personal data
Location: India
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Entity Name: Facebook (Meta) Settlement Recipients
Entity Type: Individual Consumers
Industry: Social Media/Technology
Location: Global (Primarily U.S.)
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Entity Name: AT&T Settlement Recipients
Entity Type: Individual Consumers
Industry: Telecommunications
Location: U.S.
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Entity Name: Meta (WhatsApp)
Entity Type: technology company
Industry: social media/messaging
Location: global
Size: large-scale
Customers Affected: millions (global WhatsApp users)
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Entity Type: individual
Location: Hong Kong
Customers Affected: 1 (lost $700,000)
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Entity Name: WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc.)
Entity Type: Messaging Platform
Industry: Technology / Social Media
Location: Global
Size: 3.5 billion users
Customers Affected: 3.5 billion (all users with phone numbers exposed; 77 million US profile pictures downloaded)
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Entity Name: Users in Restricted Regions
Entity Type: Individuals
Location: China (2.3M accounts)Myanmar (1.6M accounts)Iran (59M accounts)
Customers Affected: 62.9 million (potential surveillance/legal risks)
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Entity Name: WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc.)
Entity Type: Messaging Platform
Industry: Technology/Social Media
Location: Global
Size: Over 2 billion users
Customers Affected: Potentially all 3.5 billion WhatsApp accounts (risk of enumeration)
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Entity Name: Meta (React Server Components)
Entity Type: Technology
Industry: Software/Technology
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Entity Name: Next.js
Entity Type: Technology
Industry: Software/Technology
Response to the Incidents
What measures were taken in response to each incident ?
Incident : Data Privacy Breach MET1717151222
Remediation Measures: Firing of employees involved
Incident : Data Breach MET84930423
Containment Measures: Access Withdrawn or Restricted
Incident : Data Breach MET34251223
Remediation Measures: Facebook removed several Russian accounts that were propagandisedFacebook gives its users new privacy tools
Incident : Vulnerability Exploitation MET547032025
Remediation Measures: Update to FreeType 2.13.3
Incident : Vulnerability Exploitation WHA623040825
Remediation Measures: Patch applied in version 2.2450.6
Communication Strategy: Urging immediate update to patched version
Incident : Vulnerability Exploit MET642040825
Remediation Measures: Software Update
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Remediation Measures: Bug Fix
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Incident Response Plan Activated: True
Third Party Assistance: Amnesty International Security Lab (Investigation).
Containment Measures: WhatsApp server-side patches to block exploitUser notifications with mitigation steps
Remediation Measures: WhatsApp app updates (iOS v2.25.21.73+, Mac v2.25.21.78+)Apple security updates for Image I/O frameworkFactory reset recommendation for affected users
Recovery Measures: Device updates (OS and WhatsApp)Security feature enablement (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)
Communication Strategy: Direct notifications to affected usersPublic advisory via blog/pressCollaboration with Amnesty International for technical details
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Incident Response Plan Activated: True
Third Party Assistance: Ncc Group (Security Assessment), Cisa (Advisory).
Containment Measures: Security patches released (WhatsApp v2.25.21.73+)Disabling linked-device sync from unauthenticated endpointsCISA advisory to monitor outbound HTTP traffic
Remediation Measures: Layered defense model (Meta)Runtime attestation of critical componentsClient-side enforcement for data consent
Communication Strategy: Public security advisory (WhatsApp)CISA warning to organizationsNCC Group report publication
Enhanced Monitoring: Monitoring for unusual outbound HTTP requests (CISA recommendation)
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Incident Response Plan Activated: True
Third Party Assistance: Amnesty International Security Lab, University Of Toronto'S Citizen Lab.
Containment Measures: Patching vulnerable WhatsApp versions (iOS/macOS)Disrupting Paragon's Graphite spyware campaign
Remediation Measures: User notificationsFactory reset recommendationsOS/software update advisories
Communication Strategy: Direct alerts to targeted usersPublic security advisoryMedia statements
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Third Party Assistance: Acronis Threat Research Unit.
Communication Strategy: Public Disclosure via The RegisterResearch Report by Acronis
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Remediation Measures: Audit of Document WorkflowsAdoption of Permanent Redaction ToolsAutomated PII Detection (AI/NLP)Audit Trails for AccountabilityValidation Testing of Redacted Files
Communication Strategy: Expert Insights Publication (TechRadar Pro)Industry Awareness Campaigns
Enhanced Monitoring: Monitoring of Public Datasets/Forums for Leaked Data
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Third Party Assistance: Cybersecurity Consulting Firms (E.G., Ey India).
Remediation Measures: Map personal data flowsImplement encryption and access controlsDefine breach notification timelines (internal)Centralize compliance programs
Communication Strategy: Stakeholder consultations by governmentIndustry alignment directives
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Law Enforcement Notified: FTC, IC3, CFPB,
Containment Measures: Public Awareness CampaignsFTC Refunds Page Updates
Remediation Measures: Reporting Mechanisms for Fake SitesConsumer Education on Red Flags
Recovery Measures: Data Removal Services RecommendationsAntivirus Software Promotion
Communication Strategy: Media Coverage (e.g., Fox News)CyberGuy.com AdvisoriesFTC Alerts
On-Demand Scrubbing Services: ['Data Removal Services (e.g., CyberGuy.com Recommendations)']
Enhanced Monitoring: Antivirus Software for Malicious Link Blocking
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Incident Response Plan Activated: True
Third Party Assistance: Eset (Research Analysis).
Containment Measures: AI-powered real-time screen-sharing warnings for unsaved contactsremoval of 8M scam-linked accountstakedown of 21K fake customer service pages
Remediation Measures: user education campaignsenhanced account security prompts (e.g., Two-Step Verification)
Communication Strategy: public advisories (Meta blog, ESET report)Reddit community warnings
Enhanced Monitoring: AI-driven scam detection
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Incident Response Plan Activated: Yes (Collaboration with researchers)
Third Party Assistance: University of Vienna Security Researchers
Containment Measures: Cardinality-based rate limiting using probabilistic data structuresRestricted access to profile pictures and status messages (even if set to public)Removed timestamps from profile picture queries
Remediation Measures: Fixed key reuse vulnerability in Android clientsEnhanced API protections against bulk enumeration
Communication Strategy: Public disclosure with mitigation details; emphasized end-to-end encryption remains intact
Enhanced Monitoring: Likely (implied by rate-limiting fixes)
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Incident Response Plan Activated: True
Third Party Assistance: University Of Vienna Researchers (Disclosure).
Containment Measures: Codebase Patches to Restrict Contact Query Abuse
Remediation Measures: Implemented Limits on Contact List UploadsEnhanced Rate-Limiting for Queries
Communication Strategy: Public Acknowledgment of VulnerabilityTechnical Disclosure via Research Collaboration
What is the company's incident response plan?
Incident Response Plan: The company's incident response plan is described as Yes (Collaboration with researchers), .
How does the company involve third-party assistance in incident response ?
Third-Party Assistance: The company involves third-party assistance in incident response through Amnesty International Security Lab (investigation), , NCC Group (security assessment), CISA (advisory), , Amnesty International Security Lab, University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, , Acronis Threat Research Unit, , Cybersecurity consulting firms (e.g., EY India), , ESET (research analysis), , University of Vienna Security Researchers, University of Vienna Researchers (Disclosure), .
Data Breach Information
What type of data was compromised in each breach ?
Incident : Phishing, Unauthorized Access, Spam Distribution FAC222223422
Type of Data Compromised: Personal Data, Login Details
Number of Records Exposed: 500,000
Sensitivity of Data: High
Personally Identifiable Information: Yes
Incident : Data Breach FAC02721722
Type of Data Compromised: Personal details, Psychological test results
Number of Records Exposed: 6000000
Sensitivity of Data: High
Incident : Data Breach WHA2315251122
Type of Data Compromised: Mobile Numbers
Number of Records Exposed: 487 million
Incident : Data Breach FAC2341251122
Type of Data Compromised: Personal information
Number of Records Exposed: 533 million
Personally Identifiable Information: Facebook ID numbersprofile namesemail addresseslocation informationgender detailsjob dataphone numbers
Incident : Data Leak FAC215421222
Type of Data Compromised: Phone numbers, Facebook ids, Full names, Locations, Birthdates, Bios, Email addresses
Number of Records Exposed: 533 million
Incident : Data Privacy Breach MET1717151222
Type of Data Compromised: User account data
Incident : Data Breach FAC2050291222
Type of Data Compromised: Personal Information
Incident : Data Leak WHA21136123
Type of Data Compromised: Phone numbers
Number of Records Exposed: 29,000 to 30,000
Incident : Data Breach MET13011423
Type of Data Compromised: Phone numbers, Facebook ids
Number of Records Exposed: 419000000
Incident : Data Breach MET84930423
Type of Data Compromised: Names, Profile pictures, Posts, Comments
Personally Identifiable Information: NamesProfile Pictures
Incident : Data Breach MET2298523
Type of Data Compromised: Names, Phone numbers, Profiles
Number of Records Exposed: 267000000
Incident : Data Breach MET34251223
Type of Data Compromised: User Data
Number of Records Exposed: 87 million
Incident : Privacy Breach MET000080424
Type of Data Compromised: Biometric Data
Number of Records Exposed: Millions
Sensitivity of Data: High
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Type of Data Compromised: Private prompts and responses
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Type of Data Compromised: Messages, Device-stored data (potential full access)
Sensitivity of Data: High (personal messages, potentially sensitive device data)
Data Exfiltration: Likely (spyware installation implied)
File Types Exposed: Image files (malicious payload)Potentially all device-stored files
Personally Identifiable Information: High risk (if device compromised)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Type of Data Compromised: User data (potential), Ra-tls private keys (risk), Container access privileges
Sensitivity of Data: High (cryptographic keys, user messages)
Data Exfiltration: Potential (via CVM exploitation)Arbitrary URL content processing
File Types Exposed: Image files (via malicious image IO exploitation)Synchronization messages
Personally Identifiable Information: Potential (if user data leaked)
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Type of Data Compromised: Device metadata, Potential communications (via spyware), User activity
Sensitivity of Data: High (spyware capable of exfiltrating sensitive user data)
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Type of Data Compromised: Credentials, Session cookies, Cryptocurrency wallet data, Messaging app data, Vpn configurations, Cloud service keys, Pii (potential)
Sensitivity of Data: High
Data Exfiltration: Likely (StealC Capabilities)
Data Encryption: Partial (Payload Encrypted in Images)
File Types Exposed: JPG (Malicious Images)PowerShell ScriptsExecutables
Personally Identifiable Information: Potential (Browser Autofill, Saved Logins)
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Type of Data Compromised: Product keys, System credentials, Pii, Corporate strategy documents, Financial data, Legal filings
Sensitivity of Data: High (Encryption Keys, Competitive Intelligence)Medium (PII)
Data Exfiltration: Unintentional (via Public Document Scraping)
Data Encryption: ['None (Data Was Improperly Redacted)']
File Types Exposed: PDFWord DocumentsLegal Filings
Personally Identifiable Information: Potential (e.g., SSNs in Resumes/Contracts)
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Data Encryption: ['Recommended as a safeguard']
Personally Identifiable Information: Potential risk if breaches occur
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Type of Data Compromised: Social security numbers, Banking information, Personal identifiable information (pii)
Sensitivity of Data: High
Data Exfiltration: Likely (for Dark Web Sales)
Personally Identifiable Information: Full/Partial SSNsBank Account DetailsNamesAddresses
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Type of Data Compromised: Credentials, Financial data, Pii (via otps)
Sensitivity of Data: high
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Type of Data Compromised: Phone numbers, Profile pictures, Status messages, Business account info, Device details, Encryption keys, Timestamps, Facial recognition data
Number of Records Exposed: 3.5 billion (phone numbers); 77 million (US profile pictures)
Sensitivity of Data: High (PII + facial recognition risks)
Data Exfiltration: Yes (researchers downloaded data for analysis)
Data Encryption: End-to-end encryption for messages remained intact; encryption keys for accounts were exposed
File Types Exposed: JPEG/PNG (profile pictures)Text (status messages, business info)
Personally Identifiable Information: Yes (phone numbers + facial data)
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Type of Data Compromised: Phone number existence verification, Potential profile metadata (if scraped)
Number of Records Exposed: Up to 3.5 billion (theoretical maximum)
Sensitivity of Data: Moderate to High (Phone numbers linked to identities, potential for phishing)
Personally Identifiable Information: Phone Numbers
What measures does the company take to prevent data exfiltration ?
Prevention of Data Exfiltration: The company takes the following measures to prevent data exfiltration: Firing of employees involved, Facebook removed several Russian accounts that were propagandised, Facebook gives its users new privacy tools, , Update to FreeType 2.13.3, , Patch applied in version 2.2450.6, Software Update, , Bug Fix, , WhatsApp app updates (iOS v2.25.21.73+, Mac v2.25.21.78+), Apple security updates for Image I/O framework, Factory reset recommendation for affected users, , Layered defense model (Meta), Runtime attestation of critical components, Client-side enforcement for data consent, , User notifications, Factory reset recommendations, OS/software update advisories, , Audit of Document Workflows, Adoption of Permanent Redaction Tools, Automated PII Detection (AI/NLP), Audit Trails for Accountability, Validation Testing of Redacted Files, , Map personal data flows, Implement encryption and access controls, Define breach notification timelines (internal), Centralize compliance programs, , Reporting Mechanisms for Fake Sites, Consumer Education on Red Flags, , user education campaigns, enhanced account security prompts (e.g., Two-Step Verification), , Fixed key reuse vulnerability in Android clients, Enhanced API protections against bulk enumeration, , Implemented Limits on Contact List Uploads, Enhanced Rate-Limiting for Queries, .
How does the company handle incidents involving personally identifiable information (PII) ?
Handling of PII Incidents: The company handles incidents involving personally identifiable information (PII) through by access withdrawn or restricted, , whatsapp server-side patches to block exploit, user notifications with mitigation steps, , security patches released (whatsapp v2.25.21.73+), disabling linked-device sync from unauthenticated endpoints, cisa advisory to monitor outbound http traffic, , patching vulnerable whatsapp versions (ios/macos), disrupting paragon's graphite spyware campaign, , public awareness campaigns, ftc refunds page updates, , ai-powered real-time screen-sharing warnings for unsaved contacts, removal of 8m scam-linked accounts, takedown of 21k fake customer service pages, , cardinality-based rate limiting using probabilistic data structures, restricted access to profile pictures and status messages (even if set to public), removed timestamps from profile picture queries, , codebase patches to restrict contact query abuse and .
Ransomware Information
Was ransomware involved in any of the incidents ?
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Data Exfiltration: True
How does the company recover data encrypted by ransomware ?
Data Recovery from Ransomware: The company recovers data encrypted by ransomware through Device updates (OS and WhatsApp), Security feature enablement (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android), , Data Removal Services Recommendations, Antivirus Software Promotion, .
Regulatory Compliance
Were there any regulatory violations and fines imposed for each incident ?
Incident : Phishing, Unauthorized Access, Spam Distribution FAC222223422
Legal Actions: Federal Fraud Charges
Incident : Data Leak FAC215421222
Fines Imposed: €265 million ($275.5 million)
Incident : Data Law Breach FAC2011201222
Regulations Violated: Russian Data Law,
Fines Imposed: $63,000
Incident : Data Breach FAC2050291222
Fines Imposed: CAD$9 million (US$6.5 million / £5.3 million)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Regulatory Notifications: CISA advisory issued
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Regulations Violated: Potential: GDPR (EU), HIPAA (US Healthcare), CPRA (California), Antitrust Proceedings (Meta Case),
Legal Actions: Public Rebuke from Competitors (Apple, Snap, Google), Regulatory Scrutiny (Meta Antitrust Case),
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Regulations Violated: Potential violations of DPDP Act (2023),
Fines Imposed: ['Up to ₹250 crore for fiduciaries; contractual penalties for processors']
Legal Actions: Contractual disputes, Damages claims from fiduciaries,
Regulatory Notifications: 72-hour breach notification to Data Protection Board (via fiduciaries)
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Legal Actions: FTC Investigations into Fake Settlement Sites,
Regulatory Notifications: FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)ClassAction.org
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Regulatory Notifications: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
How does the company ensure compliance with regulatory requirements ?
Ensuring Regulatory Compliance: The company ensures compliance with regulatory requirements through Federal Fraud Charges, Settlement, Public Rebuke from Competitors (Apple, Snap, Google), Regulatory Scrutiny (Meta Antitrust Case), , Contractual disputes, Damages claims from fiduciaries, , FTC Investigations into Fake Settlement Sites, .
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
What lessons were learned from each incident ?
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Lessons Learned: Understand privacy settings and avoid sharing PII with AI tools.
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Lessons Learned: Zero-click exploits pose severe risks even to fully patched systems when chained with other vulnerabilities., Cross-platform vulnerabilities (e.g., Apple Image I/O) can amplify attack surfaces for apps like WhatsApp., Proactive user notification and clear mitigation steps are critical for limiting damage from targeted attacks.
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Lessons Learned: Criticality of patching both application and OS-level vulnerabilities in tandem, Risks of outdated TEE images and CVM exploitation in cloud services, Importance of verifiable transparency (open-source code, reproducible builds), Need for runtime attestation and layered defenses in messaging platforms
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Lessons Learned: Zero-click vulnerabilities in messaging apps remain high-value targets for APT groups., Cross-platform vulnerabilities (e.g., WhatsApp + Apple OS) amplify attack impact., Proactive user notifications and remediation guidance are critical for targeted attacks.
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Lessons Learned: Evolution of social engineering tactics beyond traditional phishing (e.g., user-executed commands via fake file prompts)., Effectiveness of AI-generated imagery in evading detection and luring victims., Rapid weaponization of proof-of-concept (PoC) attacks (75 days from PoC to global campaign)., Need for updated anti-phishing training to address 'Fix'-type attacks (ClickFix/FileFix)., Shift from malicious domains to legitimate platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for payload hosting.
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Lessons Learned: Legacy redaction tools often fail to permanently remove data, leaving text layers and metadata recoverable., Manual redaction is error-prone and inconsistent; automation (AI/NLP) is critical for scaling sensitive data detection., AI models amplify the risk of exposed data by ingesting improperly sanitized public documents., Document workflows must include audit trails to track redaction actions and ensure compliance., Proactive validation (e.g., testing redacted files for recoverable data) is essential to prevent leaks.
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Lessons Learned: Processors cannot assume insulation from liability despite lack of direct DPDP penalties., Proactive compliance reduces contractual and reputational risks., Centralized privacy programs improve scalability for multi-client engagements., Government prioritization signals urgency for systemic alignment.
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Lessons Learned: Scammers exploit high-profile settlements (e.g., Facebook, AT&T, Equifax) due to public awareness and urgency for payouts., Generic design of legitimate settlement sites makes them easy to spoof using AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT)., Urgency tactics (e.g., countdowns, processing fees) are red flags for phishing scams., Official settlements never request full SSNs, banking details, or upfront payments., Cross-verification via FTC.gov or trusted sources is critical before submitting claims.
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Lessons Learned: Psychological manipulation (trust/urgency) is as critical as technical vulnerabilities in scam success., Default trust in platform features (e.g., screen-sharing) can be weaponized., Proactive AI warnings can mitigate human-error risks but require user compliance.
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Lessons Learned: Centralized messaging platforms face inherent privacy risks when convenience features (e.g., contact discovery) lack abuse protections at scale., Weak rate limiting can enable mass enumeration attacks, exposing billions of records., Publicly accessible data (e.g., profile pictures) can become high-risk when combined with other exposed attributes (e.g., phone numbers)., Data breaches have long-term impacts; 50% of phone numbers from a 2021 leak remained active on WhatsApp in 2025., Facial recognition risks emerge when profile pictures are linked to identifiers like phone numbers.
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Lessons Learned: Phone number–based identity systems inherently lack privacy protections and are vulnerable to enumeration attacks., Convenience features (e.g., contact discovery) can introduce systemic privacy risks if not properly rate-limited or obfuscated., Messaging platforms must balance usability with security, particularly in regions with low cybersecurity awareness., Proactive collaboration with academic researchers can help identify and mitigate large-scale vulnerabilities before exploitation.
What recommendations were made to prevent future incidents ?
Incident : Vulnerability Exploitation MET547032025
Recommendations: Update to FreeType 2.13.3
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Recommendations: Do not log in to social media platforms while using AI tools., Use 'Incognito Mode' when available., Do not share private information with AI., Familiarize yourself with privacy policies., Never share PII.Do not log in to social media platforms while using AI tools., Use 'Incognito Mode' when available., Do not share private information with AI., Familiarize yourself with privacy policies., Never share PII.Do not log in to social media platforms while using AI tools., Use 'Incognito Mode' when available., Do not share private information with AI., Familiarize yourself with privacy policies., Never share PII.Do not log in to social media platforms while using AI tools., Use 'Incognito Mode' when available., Do not share private information with AI., Familiarize yourself with privacy policies., Never share PII.Do not log in to social media platforms while using AI tools., Use 'Incognito Mode' when available., Do not share private information with AI., Familiarize yourself with privacy policies., Never share PII.
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Recommendations: Immediately update WhatsApp and device OS to the latest versions., Perform a factory reset if notified by WhatsApp of potential compromise., Enable advanced security features (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)., Use mobile security solutions (e.g., Malwarebytes) for additional protection., Monitor for unusual device behavior (e.g., battery drain, data usage spikes)., Organizations should audit third-party app dependencies (e.g., Image I/O framework) for shared vulnerabilities.Immediately update WhatsApp and device OS to the latest versions., Perform a factory reset if notified by WhatsApp of potential compromise., Enable advanced security features (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)., Use mobile security solutions (e.g., Malwarebytes) for additional protection., Monitor for unusual device behavior (e.g., battery drain, data usage spikes)., Organizations should audit third-party app dependencies (e.g., Image I/O framework) for shared vulnerabilities.Immediately update WhatsApp and device OS to the latest versions., Perform a factory reset if notified by WhatsApp of potential compromise., Enable advanced security features (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)., Use mobile security solutions (e.g., Malwarebytes) for additional protection., Monitor for unusual device behavior (e.g., battery drain, data usage spikes)., Organizations should audit third-party app dependencies (e.g., Image I/O framework) for shared vulnerabilities.Immediately update WhatsApp and device OS to the latest versions., Perform a factory reset if notified by WhatsApp of potential compromise., Enable advanced security features (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)., Use mobile security solutions (e.g., Malwarebytes) for additional protection., Monitor for unusual device behavior (e.g., battery drain, data usage spikes)., Organizations should audit third-party app dependencies (e.g., Image I/O framework) for shared vulnerabilities.Immediately update WhatsApp and device OS to the latest versions., Perform a factory reset if notified by WhatsApp of potential compromise., Enable advanced security features (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)., Use mobile security solutions (e.g., Malwarebytes) for additional protection., Monitor for unusual device behavior (e.g., battery drain, data usage spikes)., Organizations should audit third-party app dependencies (e.g., Image I/O framework) for shared vulnerabilities.Immediately update WhatsApp and device OS to the latest versions., Perform a factory reset if notified by WhatsApp of potential compromise., Enable advanced security features (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)., Use mobile security solutions (e.g., Malwarebytes) for additional protection., Monitor for unusual device behavior (e.g., battery drain, data usage spikes)., Organizations should audit third-party app dependencies (e.g., Image I/O framework) for shared vulnerabilities.
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Recommendations: Apply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory), Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patchedApply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory), Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patchedApply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory), Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patchedApply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory), Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patchedApply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory), Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patchedApply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory), Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patchedApply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory), Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patched
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Recommendations: Implement stricter authorization controls for linked device synchronization., Enhance collaboration with OS vendors (e.g., Apple) to mitigate cross-platform risks., Expand threat intelligence sharing with civil society organizations (e.g., Citizen Lab, Amnesty International)., Accelerate patch deployment for zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used applications.Implement stricter authorization controls for linked device synchronization., Enhance collaboration with OS vendors (e.g., Apple) to mitigate cross-platform risks., Expand threat intelligence sharing with civil society organizations (e.g., Citizen Lab, Amnesty International)., Accelerate patch deployment for zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used applications.Implement stricter authorization controls for linked device synchronization., Enhance collaboration with OS vendors (e.g., Apple) to mitigate cross-platform risks., Expand threat intelligence sharing with civil society organizations (e.g., Citizen Lab, Amnesty International)., Accelerate patch deployment for zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used applications.Implement stricter authorization controls for linked device synchronization., Enhance collaboration with OS vendors (e.g., Apple) to mitigate cross-platform risks., Expand threat intelligence sharing with civil society organizations (e.g., Citizen Lab, Amnesty International)., Accelerate patch deployment for zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used applications.
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Recommendations: Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration).Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration).Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration).Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration).Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration).Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration).Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration).
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Recommendations: Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively.Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively.Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively.Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively.Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively.Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively.Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively.
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Recommendations: Conduct data flow mapping to identify personal data handling., Adopt fiduciary-grade security controls (encryption, access management)., Establish internal breach notification timelines (<72 hours)., Align with fiduciary expectations via readiness assessments., Consolidate vendor relationships to reduce risk exposure., Voluntarily adopt DPDP-compliant governance frameworks.Conduct data flow mapping to identify personal data handling., Adopt fiduciary-grade security controls (encryption, access management)., Establish internal breach notification timelines (<72 hours)., Align with fiduciary expectations via readiness assessments., Consolidate vendor relationships to reduce risk exposure., Voluntarily adopt DPDP-compliant governance frameworks.Conduct data flow mapping to identify personal data handling., Adopt fiduciary-grade security controls (encryption, access management)., Establish internal breach notification timelines (<72 hours)., Align with fiduciary expectations via readiness assessments., Consolidate vendor relationships to reduce risk exposure., Voluntarily adopt DPDP-compliant governance frameworks.Conduct data flow mapping to identify personal data handling., Adopt fiduciary-grade security controls (encryption, access management)., Establish internal breach notification timelines (<72 hours)., Align with fiduciary expectations via readiness assessments., Consolidate vendor relationships to reduce risk exposure., Voluntarily adopt DPDP-compliant governance frameworks.Conduct data flow mapping to identify personal data handling., Adopt fiduciary-grade security controls (encryption, access management)., Establish internal breach notification timelines (<72 hours)., Align with fiduciary expectations via readiness assessments., Consolidate vendor relationships to reduce risk exposure., Voluntarily adopt DPDP-compliant governance frameworks.Conduct data flow mapping to identify personal data handling., Adopt fiduciary-grade security controls (encryption, access management)., Establish internal breach notification timelines (<72 hours)., Align with fiduciary expectations via readiness assessments., Consolidate vendor relationships to reduce risk exposure., Voluntarily adopt DPDP-compliant governance frameworks.
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Recommendations: Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**.
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Recommendations: Never share screens, passwords, or OTPs with unsolicited callers, even if they impersonate trusted entities., Enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp and other critical accounts., Verify suspicious claims via independent, trusted channels (e.g., official bank contacts)., Educate vulnerable populations (e.g., elderly) on recognizing urgency-based scams., Platforms should expand AI warnings to include behavioral analysis (e.g., rapid screen-sharing requests).Never share screens, passwords, or OTPs with unsolicited callers, even if they impersonate trusted entities., Enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp and other critical accounts., Verify suspicious claims via independent, trusted channels (e.g., official bank contacts)., Educate vulnerable populations (e.g., elderly) on recognizing urgency-based scams., Platforms should expand AI warnings to include behavioral analysis (e.g., rapid screen-sharing requests).Never share screens, passwords, or OTPs with unsolicited callers, even if they impersonate trusted entities., Enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp and other critical accounts., Verify suspicious claims via independent, trusted channels (e.g., official bank contacts)., Educate vulnerable populations (e.g., elderly) on recognizing urgency-based scams., Platforms should expand AI warnings to include behavioral analysis (e.g., rapid screen-sharing requests).Never share screens, passwords, or OTPs with unsolicited callers, even if they impersonate trusted entities., Enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp and other critical accounts., Verify suspicious claims via independent, trusted channels (e.g., official bank contacts)., Educate vulnerable populations (e.g., elderly) on recognizing urgency-based scams., Platforms should expand AI warnings to include behavioral analysis (e.g., rapid screen-sharing requests).Never share screens, passwords, or OTPs with unsolicited callers, even if they impersonate trusted entities., Enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp and other critical accounts., Verify suspicious claims via independent, trusted channels (e.g., official bank contacts)., Educate vulnerable populations (e.g., elderly) on recognizing urgency-based scams., Platforms should expand AI warnings to include behavioral analysis (e.g., rapid screen-sharing requests).
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Recommendations: Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors.Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors.Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors.Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors.Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors.Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors.
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Recommendations: Implement **rate-limiting** and **size restrictions** on contact list uploads to prevent brute-force enumeration., Adopt **zero-knowledge proofs** or **private set intersection (PSI)** techniques for contact discovery to minimize metadata exposure., Transition from **raw phone number identifiers** to **hashed or pseudonymous identifiers** to reduce linkage risks., Educate users on the risks of **phone number–based authentication** and promote alternative identity management practices., Monitor for **dark web sales** of enumerated phone number databases to preempt phishing or fraud campaigns., Encourage enterprises to **minimize exposure of personal phone numbers** in professional contexts.Implement **rate-limiting** and **size restrictions** on contact list uploads to prevent brute-force enumeration., Adopt **zero-knowledge proofs** or **private set intersection (PSI)** techniques for contact discovery to minimize metadata exposure., Transition from **raw phone number identifiers** to **hashed or pseudonymous identifiers** to reduce linkage risks., Educate users on the risks of **phone number–based authentication** and promote alternative identity management practices., Monitor for **dark web sales** of enumerated phone number databases to preempt phishing or fraud campaigns., Encourage enterprises to **minimize exposure of personal phone numbers** in professional contexts.Implement **rate-limiting** and **size restrictions** on contact list uploads to prevent brute-force enumeration., Adopt **zero-knowledge proofs** or **private set intersection (PSI)** techniques for contact discovery to minimize metadata exposure., Transition from **raw phone number identifiers** to **hashed or pseudonymous identifiers** to reduce linkage risks., Educate users on the risks of **phone number–based authentication** and promote alternative identity management practices., Monitor for **dark web sales** of enumerated phone number databases to preempt phishing or fraud campaigns., Encourage enterprises to **minimize exposure of personal phone numbers** in professional contexts.Implement **rate-limiting** and **size restrictions** on contact list uploads to prevent brute-force enumeration., Adopt **zero-knowledge proofs** or **private set intersection (PSI)** techniques for contact discovery to minimize metadata exposure., Transition from **raw phone number identifiers** to **hashed or pseudonymous identifiers** to reduce linkage risks., Educate users on the risks of **phone number–based authentication** and promote alternative identity management practices., Monitor for **dark web sales** of enumerated phone number databases to preempt phishing or fraud campaigns., Encourage enterprises to **minimize exposure of personal phone numbers** in professional contexts.Implement **rate-limiting** and **size restrictions** on contact list uploads to prevent brute-force enumeration., Adopt **zero-knowledge proofs** or **private set intersection (PSI)** techniques for contact discovery to minimize metadata exposure., Transition from **raw phone number identifiers** to **hashed or pseudonymous identifiers** to reduce linkage risks., Educate users on the risks of **phone number–based authentication** and promote alternative identity management practices., Monitor for **dark web sales** of enumerated phone number databases to preempt phishing or fraud campaigns., Encourage enterprises to **minimize exposure of personal phone numbers** in professional contexts.Implement **rate-limiting** and **size restrictions** on contact list uploads to prevent brute-force enumeration., Adopt **zero-knowledge proofs** or **private set intersection (PSI)** techniques for contact discovery to minimize metadata exposure., Transition from **raw phone number identifiers** to **hashed or pseudonymous identifiers** to reduce linkage risks., Educate users on the risks of **phone number–based authentication** and promote alternative identity management practices., Monitor for **dark web sales** of enumerated phone number databases to preempt phishing or fraud campaigns., Encourage enterprises to **minimize exposure of personal phone numbers** in professional contexts.
What are the key lessons learned from past incidents ?
Key Lessons Learned: The key lessons learned from past incidents are Understand privacy settings and avoid sharing PII with AI tools.Zero-click exploits pose severe risks even to fully patched systems when chained with other vulnerabilities.,Cross-platform vulnerabilities (e.g., Apple Image I/O) can amplify attack surfaces for apps like WhatsApp.,Proactive user notification and clear mitigation steps are critical for limiting damage from targeted attacks.Criticality of patching both application and OS-level vulnerabilities in tandem,Risks of outdated TEE images and CVM exploitation in cloud services,Importance of verifiable transparency (open-source code, reproducible builds),Need for runtime attestation and layered defenses in messaging platformsZero-click vulnerabilities in messaging apps remain high-value targets for APT groups.,Cross-platform vulnerabilities (e.g., WhatsApp + Apple OS) amplify attack impact.,Proactive user notifications and remediation guidance are critical for targeted attacks.Evolution of social engineering tactics beyond traditional phishing (e.g., user-executed commands via fake file prompts).,Effectiveness of AI-generated imagery in evading detection and luring victims.,Rapid weaponization of proof-of-concept (PoC) attacks (75 days from PoC to global campaign).,Need for updated anti-phishing training to address 'Fix'-type attacks (ClickFix/FileFix).,Shift from malicious domains to legitimate platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for payload hosting.Legacy redaction tools often fail to permanently remove data, leaving text layers and metadata recoverable.,Manual redaction is error-prone and inconsistent; automation (AI/NLP) is critical for scaling sensitive data detection.,AI models amplify the risk of exposed data by ingesting improperly sanitized public documents.,Document workflows must include audit trails to track redaction actions and ensure compliance.,Proactive validation (e.g., testing redacted files for recoverable data) is essential to prevent leaks.Processors cannot assume insulation from liability despite lack of direct DPDP penalties.,Proactive compliance reduces contractual and reputational risks.,Centralized privacy programs improve scalability for multi-client engagements.,Government prioritization signals urgency for systemic alignment.Scammers exploit high-profile settlements (e.g., Facebook, AT&T, Equifax) due to public awareness and urgency for payouts.,Generic design of legitimate settlement sites makes them easy to spoof using AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT).,Urgency tactics (e.g., countdowns, processing fees) are red flags for phishing scams.,Official settlements never request full SSNs, banking details, or upfront payments.,Cross-verification via FTC.gov or trusted sources is critical before submitting claims.Psychological manipulation (trust/urgency) is as critical as technical vulnerabilities in scam success.,Default trust in platform features (e.g., screen-sharing) can be weaponized.,Proactive AI warnings can mitigate human-error risks but require user compliance.Centralized messaging platforms face inherent privacy risks when convenience features (e.g., contact discovery) lack abuse protections at scale.,Weak rate limiting can enable mass enumeration attacks, exposing billions of records.,Publicly accessible data (e.g., profile pictures) can become high-risk when combined with other exposed attributes (e.g., phone numbers).,Data breaches have long-term impacts; 50% of phone numbers from a 2021 leak remained active on WhatsApp in 2025.,Facial recognition risks emerge when profile pictures are linked to identifiers like phone numbers.Phone number–based identity systems inherently lack privacy protections and are vulnerable to enumeration attacks.,Convenience features (e.g., contact discovery) can introduce systemic privacy risks if not properly rate-limited or obfuscated.,Messaging platforms must balance usability with security, particularly in regions with low cybersecurity awareness.,Proactive collaboration with academic researchers can help identify and mitigate large-scale vulnerabilities before exploitation.
What recommendations has the company implemented to improve cybersecurity ?
Implemented Recommendations: The company has implemented the following recommendations to improve cybersecurity: Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors., Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks. and Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data..
References
Where can I find more information about each incident ?
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Source: TechCrunch
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Source: Apple Security Update (CVE-2025-43300)
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Source: Amnesty International Security Lab
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Source: Malwarebytes Blog (Mitigation Guidance)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Source: CISA Advisory on WhatsApp Zero-Day (CVE-2025-55177)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory (CVE-2025-55177)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Source: NCC Group WhatsApp Message Summarization Service Assessment
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Source: ClearanceJobs Interview with Lawrence Pingree (Dispersive)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Source: ClearanceJobs Interview with Jared Samuel (NCC Group)
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory (CVE-2025-55177)
URL: https://www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2025
Date Accessed: 2025-09-20
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Source: BleepingComputer - WhatsApp patches zero-day used in Paragon spyware attacks
Date Accessed: 2025-09-20
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Source: Amnesty International Security Lab Statement
URL: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/09/whatsapp-spyware-campaign-targets-journalists/
Date Accessed: 2025-09-20
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Source: Apple Security Updates (CVE-2025-43300)
URL: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT214023
Date Accessed: 2025-09-15
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Source: The Register
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Source: Acronis Threat Research Report
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Source: ESET Research (ClickFix/FileFix Surge Data)
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Source: TechRadar Pro - Expert Insights
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Source: Meta Antitrust Proceedings (2023) - Redaction Failure Case
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Source: Redactable (Amanda Levay, Founder/CEO)
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Source: EY India - Cybersecurity Consulting
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Source: Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 (Draft Rules)
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Source: Getty Images/iStockphoto (for illustrative context)
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Source: Fox News / CyberGuy.com
URL: https://www.cyberguy.com/
Date Accessed: 2025-01-01
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Source: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Refunds Page
URL: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds
Date Accessed: 2025-01-01
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Source: ClassAction.org
URL: https://www.classaction.org/
Date Accessed: 2025-01-01
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Source: FTC Complaint Assistant
URL: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
Date Accessed: 2025-01-01
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Source: Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
URL: https://www.ic3.gov/
Date Accessed: 2025-01-01
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Source: Meta Official Blog (AI Safety Tools Announcement)
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Source: Reddit User Discussions
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Source: University of Vienna Security Research Team
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory (2025)
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Source: Comparison with 2021 Facebook Data Leak
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Source: University of Vienna Research Team
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Source: Meta Platforms, Inc. (WhatsApp) Security Advisory
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Source: Amazon CISO Blog Post (CJ Moses)
Date Accessed: 2025-01-09
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Source: GreyNoise Blog Post
Date Accessed: 2025-01-10
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Source: Palo Alto Networks Unit 42
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
Date Accessed: 2025-01-10
Where can stakeholders find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices ?
Additional Resources: Stakeholders can find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices at and Source: TechCrunch, and Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory, and Source: Apple Security Update (CVE-2025-43300), and Source: Amnesty International Security Lab, and Source: Malwarebytes Blog (Mitigation Guidance), and Source: CISA Advisory on WhatsApp Zero-Day (CVE-2025-55177), and Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory (CVE-2025-55177), and Source: NCC Group WhatsApp Message Summarization Service Assessment, and Source: ClearanceJobs Interview with Lawrence Pingree (Dispersive), and Source: ClearanceJobs Interview with Jared Samuel (NCC Group), and Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory (CVE-2025-55177)Url: https://www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2025Date Accessed: 2025-09-20, and Source: BleepingComputer - WhatsApp patches zero-day used in Paragon spyware attacksUrl: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/whatsapp-patches-zero-day-used-in-paragon-spyware-attacks/Date Accessed: 2025-09-20, and Source: Amnesty International Security Lab StatementUrl: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/09/whatsapp-spyware-campaign-targets-journalists/Date Accessed: 2025-09-20, and Source: Apple Security Updates (CVE-2025-43300)Url: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT214023Date Accessed: 2025-09-15, and Source: The Register, and Source: Acronis Threat Research Report, and Source: ESET Research (ClickFix/FileFix Surge Data), and Source: VirusTotal SubmissionsUrl: https://www.virustotal.com, and Source: TechRadar Pro - Expert InsightsUrl: https://www.techradar.com, and Source: Meta Antitrust Proceedings (2023) - Redaction Failure Case, and Source: Redactable (Amanda Levay, Founder/CEO)Url: https://redactable.com, and Source: EY India - Cybersecurity Consulting, and Source: Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 (Draft Rules), and Source: Getty Images/iStockphoto (for illustrative context), and Source: Fox News / CyberGuy.comUrl: https://www.cyberguy.com/Date Accessed: 2025-01-01, and Source: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Refunds PageUrl: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refundsDate Accessed: 2025-01-01, and Source: ClassAction.orgUrl: https://www.classaction.org/Date Accessed: 2025-01-01, and Source: FTC Complaint AssistantUrl: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/Date Accessed: 2025-01-01, and Source: Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)Url: https://www.ic3.gov/Date Accessed: 2025-01-01, and Source: ESET Research ReportDate Accessed: 2025-11-05, and Source: Meta Official Blog (AI Safety Tools Announcement), and Source: Reddit User Discussions, and Source: University of Vienna Security Research Team, and Source: WhatsApp Security Advisory (2025), and Source: Comparison with 2021 Facebook Data Leak, and Source: University of Vienna Research Team, and Source: Meta Platforms, Inc. (WhatsApp) Security Advisory, and Source: Amazon CISO Blog Post (CJ Moses)Date Accessed: 2025-01-09, and Source: GreyNoise Blog PostDate Accessed: 2025-01-10, and Source: Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, and Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities CatalogDate Accessed: 2025-01-10.
Investigation Status
What is the current status of the investigation for each incident ?
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Investigation Status: Resolved
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Investigation Status: Ongoing (WhatsApp and Amnesty International collaboration)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Investigation Status: Ongoing (NCC Group assessment published; CISA advisory active)
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Investigation Status: Ongoing (limited details disclosed; collaboration with Apple and third-party researchers)
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Investigation Status: Ongoing (Active Campaign)
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Investigation Status: Ongoing Industry Awareness (No Specific Incident Investigation Detailed)
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Investigation Status: Ongoing regulatory framework implementation
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Investigation Status: Ongoing (Public Awareness Phase)
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Investigation Status: ongoing (Meta and ESET actively monitoring)
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Investigation Status: Completed (Vulnerability patched; research published)
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Investigation Status: Resolved (Vulnerability Patched)
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Investigation Status: Ongoing
How does the company communicate the status of incident investigations to stakeholders ?
Communication of Investigation Status: The company communicates the status of incident investigations to stakeholders through Urging immediate update to patched version, Direct Notifications To Affected Users, Public Advisory Via Blog/Press, Collaboration With Amnesty International For Technical Details, Public Security Advisory (Whatsapp), Cisa Warning To Organizations, Ncc Group Report Publication, Direct Alerts To Targeted Users, Public Security Advisory, Media Statements, Public Disclosure Via The Register, Research Report By Acronis, Expert Insights Publication (Techradar Pro), Industry Awareness Campaigns, Stakeholder Consultations By Government, Industry Alignment Directives, Media Coverage (E.G., Fox News), Cyberguy.Com Advisories, Ftc Alerts, Public Advisories (Meta Blog, Eset Report), Reddit Community Warnings, Public disclosure with mitigation details; emphasized end-to-end encryption remains intact, Public Acknowledgment Of Vulnerability and Technical Disclosure Via Research Collaboration.
Stakeholder and Customer Advisories
Were there any advisories issued to stakeholders or customers for each incident ?
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Stakeholder Advisories: Direct Notifications To Affected Users With Factory Reset Instructions., Public Guidance On Updating Devices And Apps..
Customer Advisories: Factory reset recommendation for potentially compromised devices.Urgent update prompts for WhatsApp and device OS.Security best practices (e.g., enabling advanced protection features).
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Stakeholder Advisories: Cisa Warning To Organizations, Whatsapp User Notifications (Via App Updates).
Customer Advisories: Patch WhatsApp immediatelyDisable app if unable to patchMonitor for suspicious activity
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Stakeholder Advisories: Targeted Users Notified Via In-App Alerts With Remediation Steps., Public Advisory Urging Updates To Whatsapp And Device Os..
Customer Advisories: Factory reset recommended for potentially compromised devices.Keep WhatsApp and device OS updated to latest versions.Monitor for unusual device behavior (indicative of spyware).
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Customer Advisories: Acronis Blog/Report (Expected)Potential Facebook Security Notices
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Stakeholder Advisories: Companies Urged To Audit Document Workflows And Adopt Permanent Redaction Practices..
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Stakeholder Advisories: Government-Directed System Alignments, Industry Consultations.
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Stakeholder Advisories: Consumers Advised To Verify Settlement Claims Via Ftc.Gov., Companies (E.G., Facebook, At&T) Urged To Warn Users About Fake Payout Scams., Cybersecurity Experts Recommend Antivirus And Data Removal Services..
Customer Advisories: Do not click links in unsolicited settlement emails/texts.Legitimate settlements will not ask for full SSNs or banking details upfront.Use mail-in forms if available to avoid phishing risks.Report suspicious sites to FTC, IC3, and CFPB immediately.
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Stakeholder Advisories: Meta’S Public Safety Updates, Eset’S Threat Analysis.
Customer Advisories: Avoid screen-sharing with unknown contacts.Use Two-Step Verification.Report suspicious WhatsApp accounts via the app.
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Stakeholder Advisories: WhatsApp notified users via blog post and in-app notifications about privacy enhancements.
Customer Advisories: Users advised to review privacy settings and limit public profile data.
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Stakeholder Advisories: Users Advised To Be Cautious Of Unsolicited Messages, Even From Known Platforms., Enterprises Encouraged To Review Identity Management Practices And Limit Phone Number Exposure..
Customer Advisories: No immediate action required for users, but heightened vigilance against phishing recommended.Users in high-risk regions (e.g., low cybersecurity awareness) should enable two-factor authentication.
What advisories does the company provide to stakeholders and customers following an incident ?
Advisories Provided: The company provides the following advisories to stakeholders and customers following an incident: were Direct Notifications To Affected Users With Factory Reset Instructions., Public Guidance On Updating Devices And Apps., Factory Reset Recommendation For Potentially Compromised Devices., Urgent Update Prompts For Whatsapp And Device Os., Security Best Practices (E.G., Enabling Advanced Protection Features)., , Cisa Warning To Organizations, Whatsapp User Notifications (Via App Updates), Patch Whatsapp Immediately, Disable App If Unable To Patch, Monitor For Suspicious Activity, , Targeted Users Notified Via In-App Alerts With Remediation Steps., Public Advisory Urging Updates To Whatsapp And Device Os., Factory Reset Recommended For Potentially Compromised Devices., Keep Whatsapp And Device Os Updated To Latest Versions., Monitor For Unusual Device Behavior (Indicative Of Spyware)., , Acronis Blog/Report (Expected), Potential Facebook Security Notices, , Companies Urged To Audit Document Workflows And Adopt Permanent Redaction Practices., Government-Directed System Alignments, Industry Consultations, Consumers Advised To Verify Settlement Claims Via Ftc.Gov., Companies (E.G., Facebook, At&T) Urged To Warn Users About Fake Payout Scams., Cybersecurity Experts Recommend Antivirus And Data Removal Services., Do Not Click Links In Unsolicited Settlement Emails/Texts., Legitimate Settlements Will Not Ask For Full Ssns Or Banking Details Upfront., Use Mail-In Forms If Available To Avoid Phishing Risks., Report Suspicious Sites To Ftc, Ic3, And Cfpb Immediately., , Meta’S Public Safety Updates, Eset’S Threat Analysis, Avoid Screen-Sharing With Unknown Contacts., Use Two-Step Verification., Report Suspicious Whatsapp Accounts Via The App., , WhatsApp notified users via blog post and in-app notifications about privacy enhancements., Users advised to review privacy settings and limit public profile data., Users Advised To Be Cautious Of Unsolicited Messages, Even From Known Platforms., Enterprises Encouraged To Review Identity Management Practices And Limit Phone Number Exposure., No Immediate Action Required For Users, But Heightened Vigilance Against Phishing Recommended., Users In High-Risk Regions (E.G., Low Cybersecurity Awareness) Should Enable Two-Factor Authentication. and .
Initial Access Broker
How did the initial access broker gain entry for each incident ?
Incident : Phishing, Unauthorized Access, Spam Distribution FAC222223422
Entry Point: Phishing, Friend Requests
Incident : Security Breach MET000122024
Entry Point: Big Mama VPN
High Value Targets: VR Headset Users
Data Sold on Dark Web: VR Headset Users
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Entry Point: Malicious WhatsApp message (zero-click)
Backdoors Established: Likely (spyware implantation implied)
High Value Targets: Dozens of specific users (targeted attack)
Data Sold on Dark Web: Dozens of specific users (targeted attack)
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Entry Point: Linked-Device Synchronization Messages, Malicious Image Files (Via Image Io Exploit),
High Value Targets: Specific individuals/organizations (targeted attacks)
Data Sold on Dark Web: Specific individuals/organizations (targeted attacks)
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Entry Point: Linked device synchronization messages (WhatsApp vulnerability)
Backdoors Established: ['Paragon Graphite spyware (suspected)']
High Value Targets: Journalists, Civil Society Members, Activists,
Data Sold on Dark Web: Journalists, Civil Society Members, Activists,
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Entry Point: Fake Facebook Security Alert Pdf, User-Executed Command In File Explorer,
Backdoors Established: Potential (StealC's Secondary Payload Capabilities)
High Value Targets: Cryptocurrency Wallets, Cloud Service Credentials, Enterprise Vpn Access,
Data Sold on Dark Web: Cryptocurrency Wallets, Cloud Service Credentials, Enterprise Vpn Access,
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Entry Point: Phishing Emails, Fake Websites, Social Media Dms, Sms Messages,
High Value Targets: Settlement Recipients’ Pii, Banking Information,
Data Sold on Dark Web: Settlement Recipients’ Pii, Banking Information,
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Entry Point: WhatsApp video call from unsaved number
Backdoors Established: ['remote-access tools (AnyDesk, TeamViewer)']
High Value Targets: Banking Credentials, Otps, Personal Data,
Data Sold on Dark Web: Banking Credentials, Otps, Personal Data,
Post-Incident Analysis
What were the root causes and corrective actions taken for each incident ?
Incident : Phishing, Unauthorized Access, Spam Distribution FAC222223422
Root Causes: Social Engineering
Incident : Data Leak WHA21136123
Root Causes: Bug in WhatsApp's platform
Incident : Privacy Breach MET000080424
Root Causes: Unauthorized Biometric Data Collection
Incident : Security Breach MET000122024
Root Causes: Use of Big Mama VPN
Incident : Data Breach MET608071825
Root Causes: Lack of authorization checks on Meta's servers.
Corrective Actions: Fixing The Bug To Prevent Unauthorized Access.,
Incident : Zero-click exploit WHA810090225
Root Causes: Insufficient Bounds Checking In Apple Image I/O Framework (Cve-2025-43300)., Incomplete Authorization For Whatsapp Linked Device Synchronization (Cve-2025-55177)., Exploit Chaining Enabled Zero-Click Compromise Without User Interaction.,
Corrective Actions: Apple: Tightened Memory Bounds Checking In Image I/O Framework., Whatsapp: Patched Synchronization Message Authorization And Updated Client Apps., User Guidance: Factory Reset And Update Enforcement.,
Incident : Zero-day vulnerability MET2064520090625
Root Causes: Incomplete Authorization In Whatsapp Linked-Device Synchronization, Os-Level Vulnerability (Cve-2025-43300) Enabling Chain Exploitation, Outdated Tee Images With Known Vulnerabilities, Automatic Image Loading Without User Interaction (Image Io Exploit),
Corrective Actions: Released Patches For Whatsapp (Ios/Mac), Enhanced Runtime Attestation For Critical Components, Client-Side Enforcement For Data Consent, Cisa-Recommended Traffic Monitoring For Anomalies, Ncc Group’S Call For Open-Source Verification And Reproducible Builds,
Incident : Zero-day exploit WHA28105328090725
Root Causes: Incomplete Authorization In Whatsapp'S Linked Device Synchronization., Lack Of User Interaction Requirements For Exploit Execution (Zero-Click)., Cross-Platform Dependency Risks (Whatsapp + Apple Os Vulnerabilities).,
Corrective Actions: Patched Whatsapp Ios/Macos Clients To Version 2.25.21.73+., Enhanced Monitoring For Linked Device Synchronization Abuses., Collaboration With Apple To Address Os-Level Zero-Day (Cve-2025-43300)., Proactive User Notifications For Targeted Individuals.,
Incident : Malware FAC4793447091625
Root Causes: Lack Of User Awareness About 'Fix'-Type Social Engineering., Over-Reliance On Domain Reputation For Detection (Attackers Used Bitbucket)., Effective Evasion Via Image Steganography And Ai-Generated Lures., Rapid Iteration Of Attack Infrastructure (New Variants Deployed Frequently).,
Incident : Data Leak MET5792757091925
Root Causes: Over-Reliance On **Visual Redaction** (Black Boxes) Instead Of Data Removal., Lack Of **Automated Tools** To Detect Pii/Credentials In Documents., Absence Of **Audit Trails** To Track Redaction Actions., **Metadata Exposure** In Shared Files (E.G., Revision Histories, Comments)., Ai Models **Ingesting Improperly Sanitized Public Documents**, Enabling Prompt-Based Extraction.,
Corrective Actions: Deploy **Permanent Redaction Software** (E.G., Redactable)., Integrate **Ai/Nlp-Based Pii Detection** Into Document Workflows., Implement **Mandatory Validation Testing** For Redacted Files., Train Employees On **Secure Document Handling** And Redaction Best Practices., Monitor **Dark Web/Forums** For Leaked Credentials Or Proprietary Data.,
Incident : Regulatory Compliance Risk MET1832818101325
Root Causes: Lack Of Processor Governance Maturity, Inadequate Contractual Safeguards For Low-Governance Vendors, Scaling Challenges For Well-Governed Processors,
Corrective Actions: Strengthen Due Diligence For Third-Party Processors, Implement Centralized Compliance Frameworks, Enhance Breach Response Preparedness,
Incident : Phishing MET4302043101425
Root Causes: Lack Of Public Awareness About Settlement Verification Processes., Ease Of Spoofing Generic Settlement Sites Using Ai Tools., Exploitation Of Consumer Urgency For Payouts After High-Profile Breaches.,
Corrective Actions: Enhanced Ftc Outreach On Verifying Settlements., Promotion Of Antivirus And Data Removal Services (E.G., Cyberguy.Com)., Stricter Domain Registration Controls For Settlement-Related Urls., Collaboration Between Companies (E.G., Meta, At&T) And Law Enforcement To Takedown Fake Sites.,
Incident : social engineering MET5292052111325
Root Causes: Over-Reliance On User Vigilance For Feature Misuse (Screen-Sharing)., Lack Of Default Restrictions On Screen-Sharing With Unsaved Contacts., Exploitation Of Human Psychology (Trust In Authority Figures, Fear Of Loss).,
Corrective Actions: Meta’S Ai Warnings For Unsaved-Contact Screen-Sharing., Mass Takedown Of Scam Infrastructure (Accounts/Pages)., Public Awareness Campaigns On Psychological Scam Tactics.,
Incident : Privacy Violation WHA2002220112025
Root Causes: Inadequate Rate Limiting In Contact Discovery Api, Over-Permissive Access To Public Profile Data (Pictures, Statuses, Timestamps), Lack Of Cardinality-Based Protections Against Bulk Queries, Key Reuse Vulnerability In Android Clients,
Corrective Actions: Deployed Probabilistic Rate Limiting (E.G., Bloom Filters) To Prevent Enumeration., Restricted Public Access To Profile Pictures/Status Messages., Removed Timestamps From Profile Picture Queries To Limit Metadata Exposure., Patched Android Key Reuse Vulnerability., Enhanced Api Monitoring For Abusive Queries.,
Incident : Privacy Vulnerability MET5592555112125
Root Causes: Lack Of **Rate-Limiting** On Contact Discovery Queries., Over-Reliance On **Phone Numbers As Opaque Identifiers** Without Privacy Controls., Design Trade-Off Prioritizing **User Convenience** Over **Security** In Contact Syncing Features.,
Corrective Actions: Patched Contact Discovery Mechanism To Restrict Query Volumes., Exploring Long-Term Shifts To **Privacy-Preserving Identity Management** (E.G., Psi, Hashing)., Enhanced Monitoring For **Anomalous Contact Upload Patterns**.,
Incident : Remote Code Execution (RCE) MET1764979506
Root Causes: Unsafe deserialization of payloads in React Server Function endpoints
What is the company's process for conducting post-incident analysis ?
Post-Incident Analysis Process: The company's process for conducting post-incident analysis is described as Amnesty International Security Lab (Investigation), , Ncc Group (Security Assessment), Cisa (Advisory), , Monitoring For Unusual Outbound Http Requests (Cisa Recommendation), , Amnesty International Security Lab, University Of Toronto'S Citizen Lab, , Acronis Threat Research Unit, , Monitoring Of Public Datasets/Forums For Leaked Data, , Cybersecurity Consulting Firms (E.G., Ey India), , Antivirus Software For Malicious Link Blocking, , Eset (Research Analysis), , Ai-Driven Scam Detection, , University of Vienna Security Researchers, Likely (implied by rate-limiting fixes), University Of Vienna Researchers (Disclosure), .
What corrective actions has the company taken based on post-incident analysis ?
Corrective Actions Taken: The company has taken the following corrective actions based on post-incident analysis: Fixing The Bug To Prevent Unauthorized Access., , Apple: Tightened Memory Bounds Checking In Image I/O Framework., Whatsapp: Patched Synchronization Message Authorization And Updated Client Apps., User Guidance: Factory Reset And Update Enforcement., , Released Patches For Whatsapp (Ios/Mac), Enhanced Runtime Attestation For Critical Components, Client-Side Enforcement For Data Consent, Cisa-Recommended Traffic Monitoring For Anomalies, Ncc Group’S Call For Open-Source Verification And Reproducible Builds, , Patched Whatsapp Ios/Macos Clients To Version 2.25.21.73+., Enhanced Monitoring For Linked Device Synchronization Abuses., Collaboration With Apple To Address Os-Level Zero-Day (Cve-2025-43300)., Proactive User Notifications For Targeted Individuals., , Deploy **Permanent Redaction Software** (E.G., Redactable)., Integrate **Ai/Nlp-Based Pii Detection** Into Document Workflows., Implement **Mandatory Validation Testing** For Redacted Files., Train Employees On **Secure Document Handling** And Redaction Best Practices., Monitor **Dark Web/Forums** For Leaked Credentials Or Proprietary Data., , Strengthen Due Diligence For Third-Party Processors, Implement Centralized Compliance Frameworks, Enhance Breach Response Preparedness, , Enhanced Ftc Outreach On Verifying Settlements., Promotion Of Antivirus And Data Removal Services (E.G., Cyberguy.Com)., Stricter Domain Registration Controls For Settlement-Related Urls., Collaboration Between Companies (E.G., Meta, At&T) And Law Enforcement To Takedown Fake Sites., , Meta’S Ai Warnings For Unsaved-Contact Screen-Sharing., Mass Takedown Of Scam Infrastructure (Accounts/Pages)., Public Awareness Campaigns On Psychological Scam Tactics., , Deployed Probabilistic Rate Limiting (E.G., Bloom Filters) To Prevent Enumeration., Restricted Public Access To Profile Pictures/Status Messages., Removed Timestamps From Profile Picture Queries To Limit Metadata Exposure., Patched Android Key Reuse Vulnerability., Enhanced Api Monitoring For Abusive Queries., , Patched Contact Discovery Mechanism To Restrict Query Volumes., Exploring Long-Term Shifts To **Privacy-Preserving Identity Management** (E.G., Psi, Hashing)., Enhanced Monitoring For **Anomalous Contact Upload Patterns**., .
Additional Questions
General Information
Who was the attacking group in the last incident ?
Last Attacking Group: The attacking group in the last incident were an Spam King, Unknown, EmployeesContractorsSecurity Guards, Third-party Developers, Cambridge Analytica, Texas Attorney General, Pro-Kremlin Faction, Teenagers and Cybercriminals, Sandeep Hodkasia (Researcher), Paragon (suspected)Advanced persistent threat (APT) actors, Opportunistic CybercriminalsAI Model Trainers (Unintentional)Public Data Scrapers, Opportunistic ScammersCybercriminals Leveraging AI Tools, organized scam ringsfinancially motivated cybercriminals, University of Vienna Security Researchers (Ethical Disclosure) and Earth LamiaJackpot PandaMirai botnetChina-nexus threat groups.
Incident Details
What was the most recent incident detected ?
Most Recent Incident Detected: The most recent incident detected was on 2021-04-03.
What was the most recent incident publicly disclosed ?
Most Recent Incident Publicly Disclosed: The most recent incident publicly disclosed was on 2025-01-08.
What was the most recent incident resolved ?
Most Recent Incident Resolved: The most recent incident resolved was on 2025-01-24.
Impact of the Incidents
What was the highest financial loss from an incident ?
Highest Financial Loss: The highest financial loss from an incident was $1.4 billion.
What was the most significant data compromised in an incident ?
Most Significant Data Compromised: The most significant data compromised in an incident were Personal Data, Login Details, Personal details, Psychological test results, , Mobile Numbers, , Facebook ID numbers, profile names, email addresses, location information, gender details, job data, phone numbers, , phone numbers, Facebook IDs, full names, locations, birthdates, bios, email addresses, , User account data, Personal Information, Phone Numbers, , Phone numbers, Facebook IDs, , Names, Profile Pictures, Posts, Comments, , Names, Phone numbers, Profiles, , User Data, Biometric Data, Potential data theft, Private prompts and responses, , Messages, Device data (potential full access), , User data (potential leakage), RA-TLS private keys (risk of exposure), Container access privileges, , Potential device compromise, Spyware installation (e.g., Graphite), , Browser Credentials, Cryptocurrency Wallet Data, Messaging App Data (Telegram, Discord, etc.), VPN Credentials, Cloud Service Keys (Azure, AWS), Game Launcher Credentials, , Windows Product Keys, System Credentials, Encryption Keys, PII, Corporate Strategy Documents (e.g., Meta’s antitrust filings), , Social Security Numbers (Full or Partial), Banking Information, Personal Identifiable Information (PII), , passwords, banking details, one-time passwords (OTPs), personal data, , Phone Numbers (3.5 billion), Public Profile Pictures (77 million from US accounts), Status Messages, Business Account Information, Device Details, Encryption Keys, Timestamps, Facial Recognition Data (66% of profile pictures contained detectable faces), , Phone Numbers, Account Existence Status, Potential Profile Metadata (e.g., photos, statuses) and .
What was the most significant system affected in an incident ?
Most Significant System Affected: The most significant system affected in an incident was FacebookTikTok and and and Ubuntu 22.04DebianAmazon Linux 2Alpine LinuxRHELCentOS and and WhatsApp for Windows and Meta AI Chatbot and iOS devicesMac devicesAndroid devices (limited scope) and WhatsApp for iOS (prior to v2.25.21.73)WhatsApp Business for iOS (prior to v2.25.21.78)WhatsApp for Mac (prior to v2.25.21.78)Apple devices (via CVE-2025-43300) and WhatsApp for iOS (<2.25.21.73)WhatsApp Business for iOS (<2.25.21.78)WhatsApp for Mac (<2.25.21.78)Apple iOS/macOS (via CVE-2025-43300) and Windows (User Devices)Potential Enterprise Systems via Stolen Credentials and WhatsApp accountsuser devices (via remote-access tools)banking apps/websites and WhatsApp Contact Discovery APIWhatsApp Android Clients (Key Reuse Vulnerability) and WhatsApp Contact Discovery System and .
Response to the Incidents
What third-party assistance was involved in the most recent incident ?
Third-Party Assistance in Most Recent Incident: The third-party assistance involved in the most recent incident was amnesty international security lab (investigation), , ncc group (security assessment), cisa (advisory), , amnesty international security lab, university of toronto's citizen lab, , acronis threat research unit, , cybersecurity consulting firms (e.g., ey india), , eset (research analysis), , University of Vienna Security Researchers, university of vienna researchers (disclosure), .
What containment measures were taken in the most recent incident ?
Containment Measures in Most Recent Incident: The containment measures taken in the most recent incident were Access Withdrawn or Restricted, WhatsApp server-side patches to block exploitUser notifications with mitigation steps, Security patches released (WhatsApp v2.25.21.73+)Disabling linked-device sync from unauthenticated endpointsCISA advisory to monitor outbound HTTP traffic, Patching vulnerable WhatsApp versions (iOS/macOS)Disrupting Paragon's Graphite spyware campaign, Public Awareness CampaignsFTC Refunds Page Updates, AI-powered real-time screen-sharing warnings for unsaved contactsremoval of 8M scam-linked accountstakedown of 21K fake customer service pages, Cardinality-based rate limiting using probabilistic data structuresRestricted access to profile pictures and status messages (even if set to public)Removed timestamps from profile picture queries and Codebase Patches to Restrict Contact Query Abuse.
Data Breach Information
What was the most sensitive data compromised in a breach ?
Most Sensitive Data Compromised: The most sensitive data compromised in a breach were personal data, Phone numbers, Messages, Psychological test results, Facebook ID numbers, User data (potential leakage), Spyware installation (e.g., Graphite), Encryption Keys, Potential Profile Metadata (e.g., photos, statuses), Profile Pictures, Account Existence Status, Facebook IDs, Names, one-time passwords (OTPs), Potential data theft, Phone Numbers, job data, Windows Product Keys, PII, Public Profile Pictures (77 million from US accounts), Facial Recognition Data (66% of profile pictures contained detectable faces), locations, Potential device compromise, Private prompts and responses, Personal Data, Login Details, RA-TLS private keys (risk of exposure), User Data, Mobile Numbers, Banking Information, Messaging App Data (Telegram, Discord, etc.), Biometric Data, Status Messages, Business Account Information, bios, Phone Numbers (3.5 billion), phone numbers, Personal details, VPN Credentials, Corporate Strategy Documents (e.g., Meta’s antitrust filings), banking details, User account data, profile names, Cloud Service Keys (Azure, AWS), gender details, full names, Container access privileges, Comments, Personal Information, Social Security Numbers (Full or Partial), passwords, Profiles, Device data (potential full access), Game Launcher Credentials, Browser Credentials, System Credentials, Personal Identifiable Information (PII), Posts, Device Details, location information, birthdates, email addresses, Timestamps and Cryptocurrency Wallet Data.
What was the number of records exposed in the most significant breach ?
Number of Records Exposed in Most Significant Breach: The number of records exposed in the most significant breach was 8.7B.
Regulatory Compliance
What was the highest fine imposed for a regulatory violation ?
Highest Fine Imposed: The highest fine imposed for a regulatory violation was €265 million ($275.5 million), $63,000, CAD$9 million (US$6.5 million / £5.3 million), $1.4 billion, Up to ₹250 crore for fiduciaries; contractual penalties for processors, .
What was the most significant legal action taken for a regulatory violation ?
Most Significant Legal Action: The most significant legal action taken for a regulatory violation was Federal Fraud Charges, Settlement, Public Rebuke from Competitors (Apple, Snap, Google), Regulatory Scrutiny (Meta Antitrust Case), , Contractual disputes, Damages claims from fiduciaries, , FTC Investigations into Fake Settlement Sites, .
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
What was the most significant lesson learned from past incidents ?
Most Significant Lesson Learned: The most significant lesson learned from past incidents was Proactive collaboration with academic researchers can help identify and mitigate large-scale vulnerabilities before exploitation.
What was the most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity ?
Most Significant Recommendation Implemented: The most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity was Perform a factory reset if notified by WhatsApp of potential compromise., Establish internal breach notification timelines (<72 hours)., Report fake sites to the **FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)**, **IC3 (ic3.gov)**, and **CFPB (consumerfinance.gov)**., Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound HTTP requests from WhatsApp clients, Monitor **public datasets and AI training sources** for exposed corporate data proactively., Implement **rate-limiting** and **size restrictions** on contact list uploads to prevent brute-force enumeration., Never share screens, passwords, or OTPs with unsolicited callers, even if they impersonate trusted entities., Implement **automated PII/credential detection** (AI/NLP) across all document types (contracts, filings, memos)., Immediately update WhatsApp and device OS to the latest versions., Enable advanced security features (e.g., Google Advanced Protection for Android)., Do not share private information with AI., Implement behavioral detection for malware using image steganography., Monitor for **dark web sales** of enumerated phone number databases to preempt phishing or fraud campaigns., Audit third-party API access and contact discovery mechanisms for abuse potential., Voluntarily adopt DPDP-compliant governance frameworks., Educate vulnerable groups (e.g., retirees) on **overpayment scams** and **fake debt collector tactics**., Monitor for unusual device behavior (e.g., battery drain, data usage spikes)., Conduct regular red-team exercises to test for large-scale data exposure vectors., Educate users on the risks of **phone number–based authentication** and promote alternative identity management practices., Conduct data flow mapping to identify personal data handling., Use 'Incognito Mode' when available., Implement stricter authorization controls for linked device synchronization., Deploy endpoint detection for StealC indicators (e.g., targeted app data exfiltration)., Transition from **raw phone number identifiers** to **hashed or pseudonymous identifiers** to reduce linkage risks., Conduct **regular audits** of document workflows, mapping where sensitive data is shared or published., Check for **spelling/grammar errors**, **odd URLs**, and **fake trust badges** on suspicious sites., Use **antivirus software** to block malicious links and phishing attempts (e.g., CyberGuy.com’s 2025 recommendations)., Enforce client-side consent for data egress, Implement stricter rate limiting with probabilistic data structures (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration attacks., Encourage enterprises to **minimize exposure of personal phone numbers** in professional contexts., Block execution of scripts from temporary directories (e.g., %Temp%)., Platforms should expand AI warnings to include behavioral analysis (e.g., rapid screen-sharing requests)., Expand threat intelligence sharing with civil society organizations (e.g., Citizen Lab, Amnesty International)., Accelerate patch deployment for zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used applications., Use mobile security solutions (e.g., Malwarebytes) for additional protection., Apply WhatsApp security patches immediately (v2.25.21.73+ for iOS, v2.25.21.78+ for Mac), Avoid automatic image loading in messaging apps until vulnerabilities are patched, Enhance email/phishing filters to detect fake social media alerts., Familiarize yourself with privacy policies., Update to FreeType 2.13.3, Always verify settlement sites via the **FTC Refunds Page (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds)** or **ClassAction.org**., Adopt open-source verification and reproducible builds for critical artifacts (per NCC Group), Avoid clicking links in emails/texts; manually enter URLs or use mailing addresses from official notices., Educate users on 'Fix'-style attacks (e.g., fake CAPTCHAs, file upload prompts)., Never share PII., Educate vulnerable populations (e.g., elderly) on recognizing urgency-based scams., Never provide full SSNs, banking details, or payment for 'processing fees' on settlement sites., Patch Apple devices to mitigate CVE-2025-43300, Adopt fiduciary-grade security controls (encryption, access management)., Employ **data removal services** to reduce exposure of personal information on broker lists., Replace visual redaction with **permanent data removal** tools that eliminate text layers and metadata., Treat privacy as a **competitive advantage**, not just a compliance requirement, to build trust with partners and customers., Organizations should audit third-party app dependencies (e.g., Image I/O framework) for shared vulnerabilities., Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity originating from image files., Enhance collaboration with OS vendors (e.g., Apple) to mitigate cross-platform risks., Align with fiduciary expectations via readiness assessments., Establish **audit trails** for redaction processes to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance., Restrict default visibility of profile pictures/status messages, even for 'public' settings., Restrict access to file-sharing platforms (e.g., BitBucket) for untrusted sources., Monitor for secondary risks (e.g., phishing, spam) stemming from exposed data., Do not log in to social media platforms while using AI tools., Test redacted files by attempting to recover hidden data; engage third-party auditors for validation., Consolidate vendor relationships to reduce risk exposure., Enhance user education on privacy settings and risks of public profile data., Adopt **zero-knowledge proofs** or **private set intersection (PSI)** techniques for contact discovery to minimize metadata exposure., Verify suspicious claims via independent, trusted channels (e.g., official bank contacts)., Enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp and other critical accounts. and Disable WhatsApp until secure version is confirmed (per CISA advisory).
References
What is the most recent source of information about an incident ?
Most Recent Source: The most recent source of information about an incident are Amnesty International Security Lab, BleepingComputer - WhatsApp patches zero-day used in Paragon spyware attacks, University of Vienna Research Team, Apple Security Update (CVE-2025-43300), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Refunds Page, ClassAction.org, FTC Complaint Assistant, CISA Advisory on WhatsApp Zero-Day (CVE-2025-55177), GreyNoise Blog Post, Meta Platforms, Inc. (WhatsApp) Security Advisory, WhatsApp Security Advisory, VirusTotal Submissions, Meta Antitrust Proceedings (2023) - Redaction Failure Case, Amnesty International Security Lab Statement, ESET Research Report, Reddit User Discussions, Comparison with 2021 Facebook Data Leak, ClearanceJobs Interview with Jared Samuel (NCC Group), ClearanceJobs Interview with Lawrence Pingree (Dispersive), Getty Images/iStockphoto (for illustrative context), University of Vienna Security Research Team, TechRadar Pro - Expert Insights, Malwarebytes Blog (Mitigation Guidance), Redactable (Amanda Levay, Founder/CEO), Apple Security Updates (CVE-2025-43300), Acronis Threat Research Report, Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 (Draft Rules), Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, Amazon CISO Blog Post (CJ Moses), Fox News / CyberGuy.com, WhatsApp Security Advisory (CVE-2025-55177), NCC Group WhatsApp Message Summarization Service Assessment, Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), EY India - Cybersecurity Consulting, ESET Research (ClickFix/FileFix Surge Data), CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, TechCrunch, The Register, WhatsApp Security Advisory (2025) and Meta Official Blog (AI Safety Tools Announcement).
What is the most recent URL for additional resources on cybersecurity best practices ?
Most Recent URL for Additional Resources: The most recent URL for additional resources on cybersecurity best practices is https://www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2025, https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/whatsapp-patches-zero-day-used-in-paragon-spyware-attacks/, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/09/whatsapp-spyware-campaign-targets-journalists/, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT214023, https://www.virustotal.com, https://www.techradar.com, https://redactable.com, https://www.cyberguy.com/, https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds, https://www.classaction.org/, https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/, https://www.ic3.gov/ .
Investigation Status
What is the current status of the most recent investigation ?
Current Status of Most Recent Investigation: The current status of the most recent investigation is Resolved.
Stakeholder and Customer Advisories
What was the most recent stakeholder advisory issued ?
Most Recent Stakeholder Advisory: The most recent stakeholder advisory issued was Direct notifications to affected users with factory reset instructions., Public guidance on updating devices and apps., CISA warning to organizations, WhatsApp user notifications (via app updates), Targeted users notified via in-app alerts with remediation steps., Public advisory urging updates to WhatsApp and device OS., Companies urged to audit document workflows and adopt permanent redaction practices., Government-directed system alignments, Industry consultations, Consumers advised to verify settlement claims via FTC.gov., Companies (e.g., Facebook, AT&T) urged to warn users about fake payout scams., Cybersecurity experts recommend antivirus and data removal services., Meta’s public safety updates, ESET’s threat analysis, WhatsApp notified users via blog post and in-app notifications about privacy enhancements., Users advised to be cautious of unsolicited messages, even from known platforms., Enterprises encouraged to review identity management practices and limit phone number exposure., .
What was the most recent customer advisory issued ?
Most Recent Customer Advisory: The most recent customer advisory issued were an Factory reset recommendation for potentially compromised devices.Urgent update prompts for WhatsApp and device OS.Security best practices (e.g., enabling advanced protection features)., Patch WhatsApp immediatelyDisable app if unable to patchMonitor for suspicious activity, Factory reset recommended for potentially compromised devices.Keep WhatsApp and device OS updated to latest versions.Monitor for unusual device behavior (indicative of spyware)., Acronis Blog/Report (Expected)Potential Facebook Security Notices, Do not click links in unsolicited settlement emails/texts.Legitimate settlements will not ask for full SSNs or banking details upfront.Use mail-in forms if available to avoid phishing risks.Report suspicious sites to FTC, IC3, and CFPB immediately., Avoid screen-sharing with unknown contacts.Use Two-Step Verification.Report suspicious WhatsApp accounts via the app., Users advised to review privacy settings and limit public profile data., No immediate action required for users, but heightened vigilance against phishing recommended.Users in high-risk regions (e.g. and low cybersecurity awareness) should enable two-factor authentication.
Initial Access Broker
What was the most recent entry point used by an initial access broker ?
Most Recent Entry Point: The most recent entry point used by an initial access broker were an Malicious WhatsApp message (zero-click), Phishing, Friend Requests, Big Mama VPN, Linked device synchronization messages (WhatsApp vulnerability) and WhatsApp video call from unsaved number.
Post-Incident Analysis
What was the most significant root cause identified in post-incident analysis ?
Most Significant Root Cause: The most significant root cause identified in post-incident analysis was Social Engineering, Bug in WhatsApp's platform, Unauthorized Biometric Data Collection, Use of Big Mama VPN, Lack of authorization checks on Meta's servers., Insufficient bounds checking in Apple Image I/O framework (CVE-2025-43300).Incomplete authorization for WhatsApp linked device synchronization (CVE-2025-55177).Exploit chaining enabled zero-click compromise without user interaction., Incomplete authorization in WhatsApp linked-device synchronizationOS-level vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300) enabling chain exploitationOutdated TEE images with known vulnerabilitiesAutomatic image loading without user interaction (image IO exploit), Incomplete authorization in WhatsApp's linked device synchronization.Lack of user interaction requirements for exploit execution (zero-click).Cross-platform dependency risks (WhatsApp + Apple OS vulnerabilities)., Lack of user awareness about 'Fix'-type social engineering.Over-reliance on domain reputation for detection (attackers used BitBucket).Effective evasion via image steganography and AI-generated lures.Rapid iteration of attack infrastructure (new variants deployed frequently)., Over-reliance on **visual redaction** (black boxes) instead of data removal.Lack of **automated tools** to detect PII/credentials in documents.Absence of **audit trails** to track redaction actions.**Metadata exposure** in shared files (e.g., revision histories, comments).AI models **ingesting improperly sanitized public documents**, enabling prompt-based extraction., Lack of processor governance maturityInadequate contractual safeguards for low-governance vendorsScaling challenges for well-governed processors, Lack of public awareness about settlement verification processes.Ease of spoofing generic settlement sites using AI tools.Exploitation of consumer urgency for payouts after high-profile breaches., Over-reliance on user vigilance for feature misuse (screen-sharing).Lack of default restrictions on screen-sharing with unsaved contacts.Exploitation of human psychology (trust in authority figures, fear of loss)., Inadequate rate limiting in contact discovery APIOver-permissive access to public profile data (pictures, statuses, timestamps)Lack of cardinality-based protections against bulk queriesKey reuse vulnerability in Android clients, Lack of **rate-limiting** on contact discovery queries.Over-reliance on **phone numbers as opaque identifiers** without privacy controls.Design trade-off prioritizing **user convenience** over **security** in contact syncing features., Unsafe deserialization of payloads in React Server Function endpoints.
What was the most significant corrective action taken based on post-incident analysis ?
Most Significant Corrective Action: The most significant corrective action taken based on post-incident analysis was Fixing the bug to prevent unauthorized access., Apple: Tightened memory bounds checking in Image I/O framework.WhatsApp: Patched synchronization message authorization and updated client apps.User guidance: Factory reset and update enforcement., Released patches for WhatsApp (iOS/Mac)Enhanced runtime attestation for critical componentsClient-side enforcement for data consentCISA-recommended traffic monitoring for anomaliesNCC Group’s call for open-source verification and reproducible builds, Patched WhatsApp iOS/macOS clients to version 2.25.21.73+.Enhanced monitoring for linked device synchronization abuses.Collaboration with Apple to address OS-level zero-day (CVE-2025-43300).Proactive user notifications for targeted individuals., Deploy **permanent redaction software** (e.g., Redactable).Integrate **AI/NLP-based PII detection** into document workflows.Implement **mandatory validation testing** for redacted files.Train employees on **secure document handling** and redaction best practices.Monitor **dark web/forums** for leaked credentials or proprietary data., Strengthen due diligence for third-party processorsImplement centralized compliance frameworksEnhance breach response preparedness, Enhanced FTC outreach on verifying settlements.Promotion of antivirus and data removal services (e.g., CyberGuy.com).Stricter domain registration controls for settlement-related URLs.Collaboration between companies (e.g., Meta, AT&T) and law enforcement to takedown fake sites., Meta’s AI warnings for unsaved-contact screen-sharing.Mass takedown of scam infrastructure (accounts/pages).Public awareness campaigns on psychological scam tactics., Deployed probabilistic rate limiting (e.g., Bloom filters) to prevent enumeration.Restricted public access to profile pictures/status messages.Removed timestamps from profile picture queries to limit metadata exposure.Patched Android key reuse vulnerability.Enhanced API monitoring for abusive queries., Patched contact discovery mechanism to restrict query volumes.Exploring long-term shifts to **privacy-preserving identity management** (e.g., PSI, hashing).Enhanced monitoring for **anomalous contact upload patterns**..
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Latest Global CVEs (Not Company-Specific)
Description
FreePBX Endpoint Manager is a module for managing telephony endpoints in FreePBX systems. Versions prior to 16.0.96 and 17.0.1 through 17.0.9 have a weak default password. By default, this is a 6 digit numeric value which can be brute forced. (This is the app_password parameter). Depending on local configuration, this password could be the extension, voicemail, user manager, DPMA or EPM phone admin password. This issue is fixed in versions 16.0.96 and 17.0.10.
Risk Information
cvss4
Base: 6.9
Severity: LOW
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Description
Neuron is a PHP framework for creating and orchestrating AI Agents. In versions 2.8.11 and below, the MySQLWriteTool executes arbitrary SQL provided by the caller using PDO::prepare() + execute() without semantic restrictions. This is consistent with the name (“write tool”), but in an LLM/agent context it becomes a high-risk capability: prompt injection or indirect prompt manipulation can cause execution of destructive queries such as DROP TABLE, TRUNCATE, DELETE, ALTER, or privilege-related statements (subject to DB permissions). Deployments that expose an agent with MySQLWriteTool enabled to untrusted input and/or run the tool with a DB user that has broad privileges are impacted. This issue is fixed in version 2.8.12.
Risk Information
cvss3
Base: 9.4
Severity: LOW
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
Description
Neuron is a PHP framework for creating and orchestrating AI Agents. Versions 2.8.11 and below use MySQLSelectTool, which is vulnerable to Read-Only Bypass. MySQLSelectTool is intended to be a read-only SQL tool (e.g., for LLM agent querying, however, validation based on the first keyword (e.g., SELECT) and a forbidden-keyword list does not block file-writing constructs such as INTO OUTFILE / INTO DUMPFILE. As a result, an attacker who can influence the tool input (e.g., via prompt injection through a public agent endpoint) may write arbitrary files to the DB server if the MySQL/MariaDB account has the FILE privilege and server configuration permits writes to a useful location (e.g., a web-accessible directory). This issue is fixed in version 2.8.12.
Risk Information
cvss3
Base: 8.2
Severity: LOW
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
Description
Okta Java Management SDK facilitates interactions with the Okta management API. In versions 11.0.0 through 20.0.0, race conditions may arise from concurrent requests using the ApiClient class. This could cause a status code or response header from one request’s response to influence another request’s response. This issue is fixed in version 20.0.1.
Risk Information
cvss3
Base: 8.4
Severity: HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L
Description
The Auth0 Next.js SDK is a library for implementing user authentication in Next.js applications. When using versions 4.11.0 through 4.11.2 and 4.12.0, simultaneous requests on the same client may result in improper lookups in the TokenRequestCache for the request results. This issue is fixed in versions 4.11.2 and 4.12.1.
Risk Information
cvss3
Base: 5.4
Severity: HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
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RapidWhat Do We Measure ?
Incident
Finding
Grade
Digital Assets
Every week, Rankiteo analyzes billions of signals to give organizations a sharper, faster view of emerging risks. With deeper, more actionable intelligence at their fingertips, security teams can outpace threat actors, respond instantly to Zero-Day attacks, and dramatically shrink their risk exposure window.
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Network Security
Identify exposed access points, detect misconfigured SSL certificates, and uncover vulnerabilities across the network infrastructure.
SBOM (Software Bill of Materials)
Gain visibility into the software components used within an organization to detect vulnerabilities, manage risk, and ensure supply chain security.
CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
Monitor and manage all IT assets and their configurations to ensure accurate, real-time visibility across the company's technology environment.
Threat Intelligence
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