Italian Spyware Hijacks Android's Accessibility Tools to Steal WhatsApp Access

IPS, an Italian surveillance firm, deployed Morpheus spyware disguised as system updates to compromise Android devices. The malware exploits accessibility services—tools meant to help disabled users—to read screens and control apps without permission. It targets WhatsApp account access. This reflects a shift among state actors toward compromising devices directly, bypassing end-to-end encryption by capturing messages before or after they encrypt on the device itself.