The hacking of WhatsApp last week has brought digital safety into sharp focus. As previously reported in eLaw & Management, it was allegedly carried out by an Israeli spyware company, the NSO Group. ‘The hack was based on software created by a legitimate company, ostensibly to enable governments to combat terrorism, but often used illegally to target human rights groups and activists. The latest attack was discovered as a result of an attack on a UK-based human rights group,’ technology analyst Arthur Goldstuck told the Daily Maverick. He said it used a vulnerability in the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) functionality of the software underlying WhatsApp to install spyware on the victim’s handset, which in turn allowed the sender to activate the device’s camera and microphone, as well as browsing other apps like Gmail. ICT expert Toby Shapshack said the relationship between Facebook and WhatsApp could not be ignored, especially when Facebook had in the past been found to have handled people’s personal information suspiciously. ‘As one of the largest messaging networks in the world, with over 1.5 billion users, WhatsApp has become a convenient way to contact and communicate with just about anyone. But it is owned by Facebook – who have proved they are not able to store personal information without exploiting it, selling it, data-mining it, and so on. I just don’t trust them. And why should I trust them with my personal messaging?’ said Shapshack.