Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • Nepal protests
  • Nepal Protests Live
  • Vice-presidential elections
  • iPhone 17
  • IND vs PAK cricket
  • Israel-Hamas war
fp-logo
WhatsApp Pegasus spyware: There was no ‘unauthorised interception’ by govt, says RS Prasad
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Tech
  • News & Analysis
  • WhatsApp Pegasus spyware: There was no ‘unauthorised interception’ by govt, says RS Prasad

WhatsApp Pegasus spyware: There was no ‘unauthorised interception’ by govt, says RS Prasad

tech2 News Staff • November 28, 2019, 18:02:29 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

Prasad says Indian and foreign digital players need to come up with proper security measures or appropriate action will be taken against them.

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
WhatsApp Pegasus spyware: There was no ‘unauthorised interception’ by govt, says RS Prasad

During a discussion on the WhatsApp surveillance controversy in Rajya Sabha today, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad denied any “unauthorised interception” by the government using the Pegasus spyware. Prasad said that the government is committed to the digital security of Indians, and is working towards making messaging platforms more secure for users in the country. [caption id=“attachment_7616971” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”] ![Men pose with smartphones in front of displayed Whatsapp logo in this illustration September 14, 2017. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic - RC1754A449A0](https://images.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/WhatsApp-Social-1024-1.jpg) Representation Image. Credit: Reuters.[/caption] He said, “On September 5, 2019, WhatsApp wrote to CERT-In, providing an update to the security incident reported in May 2019 stating that while the full extent of this attack may never be known,” ANI reported. “WhatsApp continues to review the available information.”

My statement in the Rajya Sabha on the Calling Attention Motion regarding security breach of WhatsApp users by Pegasus spyware. pic.twitter.com/t3rAJhiAIC

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) November 28, 2019

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Rajya Sabha: On 5 September, 2019 WhatsApp wrote to CERT-In providing update to the security incident reported in May 2019 stating that while the full extent of this attack may never be known, WhatsApp continues to review the available info. pic.twitter.com/jVRnbbq2Lh

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2019
More from News & Analysis
What is the US HIRE Bill and why is India’s $250-billion IT sector worried? What is the US HIRE Bill and why is India’s $250-billion IT sector worried? Is the internet dead? What's this theory that OpenAI's Sam Altman says might be true? Is the internet dead? What's this theory that OpenAI's Sam Altman says might be true?

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Rajya Sabha: It also mentioned that based on WhatsApp data available, they believe that the attackers may have attempted to reach the devices of approximately 121 users in India. https://t.co/PqSXMX2bAE

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2019

Prasad also said that Indian and foreign digital players need to come up with proper security measures or appropriate action will be taken against them.

RS Prasad in Rajya Sabha: Digital players,both Indian & foreign are welcomed to contribute in growing market but must understand that safety & security of Indians is of prime importance.They must erect appropriate security walls to ensure this, or appropriate action will be taken https://t.co/vRb3PzS15U

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2019
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

During the debate, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also appealed to all the parties to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee to investigate a snooping row that is said to have affected WhatsApp users in India.

Digvijaya Singh, Congress in Rajya Sabha on WhatsApp privacy breach issue: I appeal to all the parties to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and investigate this sensitive issue as it is connected to our fundamental rights and national security. https://t.co/vRb3PzS15U pic.twitter.com/1UNu1uxUn5

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2019

On 29 October, WhatsApp revealed that it was suing  **Israel-based NSO Group**  for developing the  **Pegasus spyware**  that was used to target  **1,400 civil rights activists, lawyers, and journalists**  across the world, including **121 users in India** .

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Rajya Sabha: It also mentioned that based on WhatsApp data available, they believe that the attackers may have attempted to reach the devices of approximately 121 users in India. https://t.co/PqSXMX2bAE

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2019
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

(Also read:  WhatsApp Hack: Government expresses concern over not disclosing the incident earlier ) While WhatsApp seems to be bearing the complete blame for the vulnerability, the NSO group has always claimed that they only sell their solutions to national governments and law enforcement agencies. There was no explicit clarification by the govt till today that no ‘unauthorised surveillance’ was approved. As most of the activists and lawyers whose WhatsApp accounts were compromised were what one would call anti-establishment actors, the **suspicion about government involvement** was justified to some extent. **Despite CERT-In being informed about it** , a government official said that the response team could not fathom the magnitude of the situation due to the  **advisory being full of 'technical jargon'** .

Tags
WhatsApp RS Prasad WhatsApp spyware WhatsApp privacy breach WhatsApp pegasus spyware WhatsApp Pegasus WhatsApp Pegasus hack Union Minister RS Prasad
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Top Stories

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV