How a Hacking Campaign Targeted High-Profile Gmail and WhatsApp Users Across the Middle East
A sophisticated phishing campaign is stealing Gmail and WhatsApp credentials from high-profile users across the Middle East amid ongoing unrest in Ira
Matilda
How a Hacking Campaign Targeted High-Profile Gmail and WhatsApp Users Across the Middle East
Gmail and WhatsApp Hacking Campaign Targets Middle East Activists A wave of highly targeted phishing attacks has compromised the digital safety of activists, journalists, and dissidents across the Middle East—particularly those connected to Iran’s ongoing protests. Using deceptive WhatsApp messages and fake login pages mimicking Google services, attackers are harvesting Gmail credentials, hijacking WhatsApp accounts, and silently siphoning personal data like location, photos, and voice recordings. The campaign, which emerged in early January 2026, exploits both technical vulnerabilities and human trust during a period of intense political upheaval and internet blackouts in Iran. Credit: Matthias Balk / Getty Images Security researchers and affected individuals have confirmed that the operation is not random cybercrime—it’s precision-engineered surveillance. With victims’ data being stored on an unsecured server, investigators gained rare insight into the scale and sophistication of this …