Malicious apps disguised as "Updates" or "Pro" versions of WhatsApp. These are often used to deliver spyware that can steal contacts, messages, and location data.

Researchers have identified "spy modules" in various WhatsApp mods that connect to command-and-control (C2) servers to download further malicious code.

References to older exploits, such as the 2019 "zero-click" vulnerability where surveillance software could be installed via a simple WhatsApp call, even if it wasn't answered. Risks of Using Unofficial WhatsApp "Spy" Tools