iWorld
Disney Star India in shortlist for SportsPro OTT awards
MUMBAI: There’s good news for Disney Star India. Its tech innovations have got a pat on the back from the leading streaming awards for – the SportsPro OTT awards.
The company’s streaming service has been shortlisted in the categories of innovation and platform of the year and for its marketing strategy while Star Sports has found a mention among the toppers in the use of artificial intelligence.
Disney+Hotstar worked with the ICC to introduce Max View during the World Cup – which allows users to switch to a vertical view, maximizing the screen space for a more immersive experience. This innovation has been shortlisted in the innovation of the year category.
The streamer recorded peak viewership numbers of 5.9 crore viewers during the World Cup final between India and Australia, which required deft engineering excellence. The SportsPro OTT Awards have recognised this effort by shortlisting Disney+Hotstar in the platform of the year category (from a network) for managing this humungous traffic using cutting edge technologies.
Its marketing campaign for the World Cup 2023 which resulted in it never seen before cumulative viewers through its messaging “One Platform, One Nation: Online India Comes Together for Cricket World Cup 2023” has been placed in the shortlist of the marketing category.
Finally, Star Sports use of artificial intelligence to translate international cricketers commentary into Indian regional languages has got a mention in the best use of AI category.
The awards, which were created by leading UK-based publication SportsProMedia, have a jury consisting of executives from some of the top sports firms including Formula 1, IMG Sports, SailGP, Dazn, among many others.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
