iWorld
SonyLIV’s Saugata Mukherjee joins HBO Max as head of content, India
Mumbai: WarnerMedia-owned video streaming service HBO Max has brought on board SonyLIV’s Sugata Mukherjee as head of content for India.
In this new role, Mukherjee will report to HBO Max managing director for India & Southeast Asia Amit Malhotra.
Mukherjee comes with over 16 years of experience in digital media, TV broadcast, and publishing. He joined Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) in February last year as head of original content for the company’s digital OTT platform. Before SPN, he worked with Hotstar as content strategy and production head.
He has been associated with Star India since 2013, first as VP and head of commissioning and later as editor – content studio, where he was responsible for content acquisitions, development, and strategy. In 2018, he moved to Hotstar.
Mukherjee has also worked with companies like Pan Macmillan where he was the publisher and editor-in-chief. He was previously associated with Harper Collins Publishers as managing editor and rights director.
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.
