iWorld
Virgin Music Group extends deal with Play DMF
Mumbai: Virgin Music Group, the world’s leading partner to independent artists, labels and entrepreneurs, announced today that the company has extended its deal with Play DMF, the Mumbai-based company founded by producer/actor/entrepreneur Anshal Garg. The new long-term deal aligns Play DMF and Virgin Music Group globally well into the next decade.
Play DMF is one of the most successful entertainment companies in India, with a YouTube channel with more than five Million subscribers, recently spawning such hit tracks as “Guli Mata,” “Yimmy Yimmy,” “Heer Ranjha,” “Hum Toh Deewane,” the freshly released ‘Zaalima’ among many others. Play DMF also had major success with “Selfiee,” a Bollywood film soundtrack which drove more than 200 Million streams globally and more than 400 Million views on YouTube.
“Play DMF is consistently one of our most successful partners in India,” said Virgin Music Group country manager Amit Sharma. “Working so closely with Anshul and his entire team has been hugely successful for everyone involved and we are honored to extend our partnership with them well into the next decade. We are looking forward to some really exciting international collaborations with PLAY DMF, as we have done before, and this long term deal shows how solid our intent is in this partnership.
“Partnering with Virgin Music Group aligns perfectly with my vision for Play DMF,” said Anshul Garg. “My aim is to create global music that puts India on the world music map, and with Virgin Music Group, we can achieve this on a much larger scale. Extending this partnership proves the impact we are making in the global music scene, and we promise to continue delivering more chartbusters into the next decade.”
Flagging off the extended partnership, is a brand new track called Ittefaq, – helmed by new-age composers Oaff and Savera, with Bollywood actor Siddhant Chaturvedi debuting as a singer. The song is set for release on 12 June, and the video, which also features popular actor Wamiqa Gabbi alongside Siddhant, is a slick, glamourous video that has been shot in one-take.
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.
