WhatsApp notifies hundreds of users who installed a fake app made by government spyware maker
嗯,用户让我总结这篇文章的内容,控制在100字以内,而且不需要用“文章内容总结”这样的开头。好的,我先快速浏览一下文章。 文章讲的是WhatsApp通知了大约200名用户,他们不小心安装了一个包含间谍软件的恶意假版本应用。这个假应用是由意大利的间谍软件公司SIO制作的,主要针对iPhone用户。WhatsApp的安全团队主动识别了这些用户,并将他们登出,提醒他们隐私和安全的风险,并建议他们删除恶意应用并下载官方版本。 此外,WhatsApp还计划向SIO发出正式的法律要求,停止这种恶意活动。去年TechCrunch报道过SIO之前的行为,他们制造了一系列恶意安卓应用,包括假的WhatsApp和手机提供商的客服支持工具。SIO的间谍软件被称为Spyrtacus。 文章还提到使用假应用对付监视目标是意大利当局常用的手法,通常会与手机提供商合作发送钓鱼链接。苹果和SIO没有回应置评请求。这是WhatsApp在一年前警告过类似事件后的最新行动。 好的,现在我要把这些信息浓缩到100字以内。重点包括:WhatsApp通知200名用户安装了恶意假应用;该应用由意大利公司SIO制作;用户主要在意大利;WhatsApp采取了措施登出并提醒风险;计划向SIO发出法律要求;去年也有类似事件。 所以总结起来应该是:WhatsApp通知约200名用户安装了含间谍软件的假应用,并采取措施提醒风险;该应用由意大利公司SIO制作;这是继去年类似事件后的最新行动。 </think> WhatsApp通知约200名用户安装了含间谍软件的假应用,并采取措施提醒风险;该应用由意大利公司SIO制作;这是继去年类似事件后的最新行动。 2026-4-1 17:33:32 Author: techcrunch.com(查看原文) 阅读量:5 收藏

This illustration photograph taken on December 1, 2025, shows the logo of US instant messaging software Whatsapp displayed on a smartphone's screen.
Image Credits:Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP / Getty Images

WhatsApp says it has notified around 200 users who were tricked into installing a malicious fake version of the chat app that contained spyware. 

WhatsApp accused Italian spyware maker SIO of creating a fake version of its messaging app for iPhones, according to an announcement the company shared with TechCrunch.  

“Our security team proactively identified around 200 users primarily in Italy who we believe may have downloaded this malicious unofficial client,” WhatsApp said in its statement. “We have logged them out, alerted [them] to the risks to their privacy and security that come with downloading fake unofficial clients, and encouraged them to remove it and download the official WhatsApp app.”

WhatsApp spokesperson Margarita Franklin told TechCrunch that, at this point, the company cannot share more information about the users it notified, such as whether they were journalists or members of civil society. 

“Our priority has been protecting the users who may have been tricked into downloading this fake iOS app,” said Franklin. 

In its announcement, WhatsApp also said it plans to “send a formal legal demand to stop any such malicious activity to this spyware firm.”

A screenshot of the notification Whatsapp sent to users warning them to download the official appImage Credits:WhatsApp

Italian newspaper La Repubblica and news agency ANSA first reported the news.

Last year, TechCrunch revealed that SIO was behind a series of malicious Android apps that contained its spyware, including fake versions of WhatsApp, as well as fake customer support tools for cellphone providers. SIO’s spyware was identified with the name Spyrtacus, a word that appeared in the spyware’s code.

Contact Us

Do you have more information about SIO, or other government spyware makers? From a non-work device, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, or via Telegram, Keybase and Wire @lorenzofb, or by email.

Using fake apps against targets of surveillance is a well-established tactic used by authorities in Italy, who often get collaboration from cellphone providers, who send phishing links to their customers on behalf of law enforcement.

SIO develops government spyware through its subsidiary ASIGINT. 

Apple and SIO did not respond to a request for comment. 

WhatsApp’s latest announcement comes a year after the company alerted around 90 users that they had been targeted with spyware made by the U.S.-Israeli surveillance tech maker Paragon Solutions. WhatsApp sent those notifications to journalists and pro-immigration activists, among others, sparking a wide-ranging scandal across Italy. 

In response, Paragon cut ties with Italy’s spy agencies, which were its customers.

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai is a Senior Writer at TechCrunch, where he covers hacking, cybersecurity, surveillance, and privacy.

You can contact or verify outreach from Lorenzo by emailing [email protected], via encrypted message at +1 917 257 1382 on Signal, and @lorenzofb on Keybase/Telegram.

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文章来源: https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/01/whatsapp-notifies-hundreds-of-users-who-installed-a-fake-app-that-was-actually-government-spyware/
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