iWorld
Facebook India’s Umang Bedi quits, Sandeep Bhushan to be interim MD
MUMBAI: Facebook India and South Asia MD Umang Bedi has put in his papers. Facebook has confirmed the development.
For a smoother transition, Facebook confirmed that Bedi, who had joined in July last year, will be staying on for three months. Although no replacement has been announced, Sandeep Bhushan would be the interim MD.
A Facebook spokesperson said, “We confirm that Umang Bedi will be leaving at the end of this year. He’s built a really strong team and business during his time with us, and we wish him all the best.”
Bedi is the recipient of the prestigious ‘40 Under Forty: India’s Hottest Business Leaders Award 2014’ given away by The Economic Times and Spencer Stuart in 2014.
Bedi, an engineering graduate from University of Pun and an alumnus of Harvard Business School, had come to Facebook from Adobe India, where he was the managing director south Asia, replacing Kirthiga Reddy — who had served for over five years and returned to Facebook headquarters in the US.
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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.
