iWorld
India to have a billion unique mobile subscribers by ’20; Delhi talent favourite
MUMBAI: The contribution of mobile industry to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) amounts to approximately US$140 billion (Rs 9,60,783 crore), the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and the Department of Telecom recently reported. India’s current GDP employs over four million people. At present, at 6.5 per cent, the government of India has stated that the mobile industry’s contribution is likely to rise to 8.2 per cent by 2020.
According to the report, India is expected to cross the one billion unique mobile phone subscribers mark by 2020. India will also see an increase in adoption of 4G services with number of 4G connections estimated to grow to 280 million by 2020 from just three million in 2015. Further, the report claimed that the mobile industry is expected to add 800,000 more jobs.
A survey by human resource (HR) solutions company PeopleStrong suggested that Delhi has emerged as the most preferred region for hiring in telecom and allied sectors. Hiring intent in this sector is expected to increase from 16% in 2016 to 20% in 2017.
In 2011-12, telecom sector contributed about 2.1 per cent of GDP with revenue of Rs 1,85,930 crore while, due to the increase in revenue next year to Rs 2,07,498 crore, the net contribution came down to 2.07 per cent. The revenue generated by the telecom sector in 2014-15 was Rs 2,42,900 crore, making it a contribution of 1.94 per cent to GDP.
Vodafone tops the list of investments with Rs 10,299 crore ($1,500.79 million) followed by Videocon International Electronics with Rs 4924 crore ($719.76 million). At third position stands Telenor at $573.15 million followed by Sistema Shyam Teleservices $451.83 million, Bharti Infratel $240.37 million, and Idea Cellular $123.22 million.
PeopleStrong CEO Pankaj Bansal said Delhi’s emergence for hiring could be attributed to the availability of the engineering and general graduate talent pool in this area or to the fact that many telecom and allied industries are headquartered in Delhi NCR.
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.
