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New Delhi: Recently, a serious cyber threat has been revealed, in which hackers are targeting Samsung users through a normal looking picture sent on WhatsApp. This picture looks absolutely normal, but it contains spyware hidden in it, which can hack the phone without any user’s information. That is, the user does not need to click on any link or download the app. The danger starts with just the arrival of the picture.

How does this work?

Researchers from Unit 42 of cyber security company Palo Alto Networks have exposed this dangerous campaign. According to him, the hackers "Landfall" The spyware was hidden inside some pictures and spread through WhatsApp and other messaging apps. When this photo reaches the phones of Samsung users, the spyware automatically becomes active, taking advantage of a flaw in the phone’s software.

Hidden flaw in Image Processing Library

A flaw named CVE-2025-21042 was held responsible for this, which has been found in Samsung’s Image Processing Library. The attackers used the DNG file format and presented them as JPEG images so that the user would not even suspect. Thus, it was a zero-click attack. That means intrusion into the phone without any click or permission.

What does spyware do?

As soon as Landfall spyware enters the phone, it starts working completely like a spy. It can listen to phone calls, read messages and photos, access contacts and locations, and record conversations. Most of the victims of this campaign were Galaxy S22, S23, S24, Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 users. Its cases have been found mainly in countries like Türkiye, Iran, Iraq and Morocco.

how was it caught

Researchers at Unit 42 discovered the threat when they examined suspicious files uploaded to Google’s VirusTotal database. They found several infected DNG files from 2024 to early 2025. Interestingly, Landfall’s footprints match those of an espionage team called Stealth Falcon, which has previously been accused of spying on journalists and opponents. However, experts have not yet confirmed whether there is a direct relationship between the two.

What should users do?

If you are a Samsung user, then immediately update your phone’s software to the latest version. The company has fixed this bug in new updates. Also, be careful before opening suspicious pictures or files on WhatsApp or any app. This incident reminds us how dangerous spyware technology has become these days. Now you do not even need to click on any link for hacking.