iWorld
Vodafone Idea misses Rs 6,090 crore spectrum payment—Now what?
MUMBAI: Another day, another Vodafone Idea financial hurdle. Akshay Moondra led telco, already walking a tightrope, has failed to submit a hefty Rs 6,090.7 crore bank guarantee or make a cash payment of Rs 5,493.2 crore to the department of telecommunications (DoT) for the 2015 spectrum auction shortfall, according to a report in The Economic Times.
The deadline? 10 March.
The result? No payment.
And now, the government isn’t exactly thrilled, “We will see what action can be taken in the coming couple of days,” an official privy to the matter told ET. In other words—brace for impact. The DoT has not granted any extension so far, keeping Vodafone Idea on tenterhooks.
The government had earlier attempted to throw the financially embattled telco a lifeline by waiving off bank guarantees (BGs) worth Rs 33,000 crore for past spectrum auctions across the private telecom giants—Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi). Out of this, Vi had been the biggest beneficiary, with Rs 24,800 crore in waivers. However, the fine print required Vi to still cough up cash or submit a BG for the 2015 auction, where it had a one-time partial shortfall.
Meanwhile, competitors Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio had no such obligations, as their payments had already exceeded the pro-rata value of their spectrum use. Vi, however, was left holding the bag.
Now, what happens? The ball is in the government’s court.
With no payment in sight and no extension announced, DoT may be forced to take action. Will it demand strict penalties? Will it extend the deadline in an act of mercy? No one knows just yet. But for Vi, already struggling with debt and subscriber losses, another financial setback is the last thing it needs.
ET in their report mentioned that queries sent to Vodafone Idea remained unanswered at the time of going to press. Given the company’s track record, it’s anyone’s guess whether the telco will come up with the funds or find itself in even deeper trouble.
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.
