WhatsApp urges users to act after cyber surveillance attack

WhatsApp has urged users around the world to update the messaging app after it was targeted by a cyber surveillance attack.

Dozens of WhatsApp users, including human rights organisations and a UK-based lawyer, are thought to have been targeted after hackers exploited a major vulnerability in the app in an attempt to take over the operating system.

The attackers were able to install spyware through WhatsApp's voice call function, even if the user did not pick up the call, the company confirmed.

What you need to do about the WhatsApp vulnerability

Political dissidents, human rights defenders, opposition politicians and journalists in 45 countries may have been targeted

The breach was discovered in early May and has since been fixed but WhatsApp, which claims to have more than 1.5 billion users, has urged people to update the app to the latest version.

The company said it was targeted by an "advanced cyber actor" and worked with...

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