ACCORDING to the Netherlands’ General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD), on 9 March 2026 they reported a cyber campaign linked to Russia that targets accounts on messaging platforms such as Signal and WhatsApp. The operation focuses on people who may have access to sensitive information, including government officials, military staff, and journalists.
The campaign mainly relies on social engineering rather than exploiting software vulnerabilities, with attackers sometimes posing as a Signal support chatbot or trusted contacts to obtain verification codes. It also notes that the attackers may abuse the linked devices feature to monitor conversations by connecting to another device. Dutch officials warned the campaign is not limited to Dutch targets, and individuals in other countries who work with sensitive political or security topics may be at risk.
The warning emphasises basic security practices and the potential value of multi‑factor authentication to add protection to messaging accounts.