Even if they did not answer, people could still be affected; the calls often disappeared from logs, as well. WhatsApp said it doesn’t yet know many users were affected by the hack but the issue has been patched and users should update WhatsApp on their phones. (Financial Times, The Next Web)

Talking point: Israel-based NSO Group propelled itself to a billion-dollar valuation through its flagship spyware product, Pegasus. The company claims it can penetrate any iPhone and have it transmit sensitive information. It allows governments to buy powerful software typically limited to spy agencies like the NSA. And, though it claims to have helped prevent terrorist attacks and rescue abducted children, several lawsuits and human-rights investigations argue the software has been used to track journalists, dissidents and critics of governments of countries like Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Tuesday’s attack shows how the spyware can be used to target any of WhatsApp’s 1.5 billion users.