Meta and WhatsApp have faced multiple high-profile incidents. The latest — the 2026 attack on Australian politicians — fits a long pattern.
2019 — Pegasus zero-click exploit
NSO Group’s spyware infected devices through a missed WhatsApp call.
2021 — 500M Facebook records leaked
Phone numbers linked to WhatsApp accounts appeared in dark-web dumps.
2022–2023 — Global SMS-cloning wave
Mass WhatsApp phishing targeting families and businesses.
2024 — Cloud backup concerns
Security researchers raised concerns about unencrypted chat backups.
2026 — Australian Parliament attack
Suspected foreign-state actor compromises an MP and three staffers via phishing.
Protect yourself with the WhatsApp 2026 security guide.