20 WhatsApp users likely compromised, Lok Sabha told

“WhatsApp believes it is likely that personal data within the WhatsApp app of approximately 20 users may have been accessed out of approximately 121 in India whose devices the attacker attempted to reach,” Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Personal data of 20 out of 121 WhatsApp users, who were targeted using Pegasus spyware, may have been accessed by the attackers, government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

New Delhi, India - Nov. 25, 2019: BJP Members of Parliament Ravi Shankar Prasad (C) Arjun Ram Meghwal (L) and Pralhad Joshi (R) addresses media at Parliament House in New Delhi. (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

“WhatsApp believes it is likely that personal data within the WhatsApp app of approximately 20 users may have been accessed out of approximately 121 in India whose devices the attacker attempted to reach,” Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The Facebook-owned social networking company reported to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) on May 20 an incident wherein it mentioned that WhatsApp identified and promptly fixed a vulnerability that could enable an attacker to insert and execute code on mobile devices and that the vulnerability can no longer be exploited to carry out attack. “The Government is committed to protect the fundamental rights of citizens, including the right to privacy. The Government operates strictly as per provisions of law and laid down protocols. There are adequate safeguards to ensure that no innocent citizen is harassed or his privacy breached,” Prasad said.