iWorld
IOT group co’s exclusive agreement to stream content to over 100 APAC countries
MUMBAI: IOT Group Limited subsidiary – OTT Premium Pty Ltd – has entered an exclusive agreement to bring Xstream’s over-the-top media streaming platform to Australia and more than 100 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Xstream, one of the only independently owned tier-one streaming companies in the world, offers telcos, broadcasters, production and film companies and content owners with the full end to end over-the-top platform to deliver content which can be viewed on any device, at anytime, anywhere.
OTT Premium will be headed up by Bob Morrison who joined Xstream as managing director, Asia Pacific in 2015 to launch, manage and grow Xstream’s operations across the region, after earlier spending 12 months on the board of Xstream. Bob is a known business strategist and respected industry leader bringing with him over 25 years of entertainment, media, television, content and OTT experience.
The Xstream technology will allow global content to be delivered instantly and seamlessly to Australian audiences – and Australian content to be delivered to new audiences around the world. Existing Xstream clients include Telenor (the world’s fourth biggest telco), Spark New Zealand (formerly Telecom New Zealand) and Bollywood’s largest production studio – Balaji Telefilms and is in discussion with some major players in the APAC region. In addition, OTT Premium will be adopting Xstream’s dynamic business model which means no matter the size of the client, OTT Premium will cohesively scale with each client’s individual needs.
“This partnership will expand the reach of an Australian tech company across the entire region,” said IOT Group Executive Director Duffell. “There is a gap in the market for customers looking for unique content delivered as and when they want it. There’s numerous streaming and VOD services offering mass content, few of which offer tailored viewing or multilingual channels to address unique tastes. The Xstream platform already has access to over 10,000+ hours of homeland television and continues to grow.”
“This partnership presents a huge opportunity for Australian broadcasters and telcos to bring previously unseen global TV content to local audiences, and provides a platform for Australian artists and production companies to bring their new content to a global stage,” Morrison said.
Xstream CEO Simon Hoegsbro commented: ““The entire Asia Pacific region is experiencing tremendous growth in online video viewership. Entering this new era with OTT Premium will allow us to meet the increasing demand for our technology in this region. We are honoured that OTT Premium has chosen Xstream to spearhead its reach into the Asia-Pacific region and we are committed to working with OTT Premium to offer a flexible, best in class OTT platform across the Asia Pacific continuing our commitment to simplify the complexity of Internet TV for our customers “
Over-the-Top (OTT) applications and services are the platform that delivers streaming and video-on-demand services to use on mobiles, tablet, web, smart TV, set-top-box and consoles and mobile devices. OTT providers are poised for scale and growth as they deliver user content over the Internet bypassing traditional distribution channels more generally, at a lower cost. Examples include Netflix and Apple TV (replacing your regular TV provider) or Skype (replacing your long distance provider).
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.
