WhatsApp expresses 'regret' over Pegasus snooping row
New Delhi, Nov 20: WhatsApp has written to the government expressing "regret" over the Pegasus snooping row, and has assured that it is taking all security measures to address concerns, top government sources said.
The sources, who requested not to be named, said the government has asked WhatsApp to reinforce its security wall, and that no more breaches at the messaging platform will be tolerated.
Last month, the Facebook-owned company had showed that Indian journalists and human rights activists were among those globally spied upon by unnamed entities using Pegasus spyware.
According to WhatsApp, the spyware was developed by Israel-based NSO Group and had been used to snoop on about 1,400 users globally, including 121 users from India.
Following the government's notice seeking more information on the attacks, WhatsApp had responded saying it had alerted the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in September that 121 Indian users had been targeted by Pegasus.
A WhatsApp spokesperson, in an e-mailed statement, said the company is deeply committed to protecting the privacy of its users in India "by providing industry-leading security for all messages and calls and by staying ahead of advanced threats to user security".
WhatsApp has over 400 million users in India.
"The government also plays a critical role here and we are committed to continuing to engage them in a timely manner on sensitive issues related to user privacy and security. We regret that we have not met the government's expectations for proactive engagement on these issues and will strive to do better," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also noted that the company will work with the government to "address their appropriate concerns".
In response to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Cybersecurity agency CERT-In has issued a notice to WhatsApp seeking details on targeting of mobile phones of Indian citizens by Israeli spyware Pegasus.
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Karnataka witnessing wave in favour of Congress govt's guarantee schemes, says CM Siddaramaiah
Chitradurga (Karnataka), Apr 23: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said there is no Modi wave in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections but there is one in favour of the Congress party’s guarantee schemes in the state.
Addressing a poll rally here, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to fulfill any of his promises such as bringing back black money from abroad, creating two crore jobs every year and doubling farm income.
“There is no Modi wave in the state because of his lies. People have realised his lies. Hence in the entire country, the Modi wave is not there. If there is any wave it’s only our Guarantee wave,” Siddaramaiah said, as he referred to the five guarantee schemes launched by his government.
He claimed that during his previous stint as chief minister from 2013 to 2018, he managed to fulfill 158 out of 165 promises, and also started 130 new programmes during the period.
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The BJP, which governed the state from 2019 to 2023, could not keep up any of its promises, the chief minister alleged at the public meeting, which was also addressed by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
He also targeted Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda over his party’s "unholy alliance" with a "communal BJP".
Siddaramaiah said the BJP has been spreading disinformation that the guarantee schemes will be stopped after the Lok Sabha elections. “I want to tell you that we will not stop any of these guarantees ever,” he said.
