This Spyware Targeted Samsung Phones Using Malicious Images

A vulnerability in Samsung phones has been linked to a spyware attack that targeted users through malicious images sent via WhatsApp.

On Friday, a cybersecurity vendor published findings about CVE-2025-21042, a flaw that exploited a bug in an image processing library. Samsung patched it in April, but a commercial-grade spyware, dubbed “Landfall," exploited the vulnerability for months starting in mid-2024 to target select users, according to Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 cybersecurity team.

"Landfall was embedded in malicious image files (DNG file format) that appear to have been sent via WhatsApp," Unit 42 wrote in a report.

The team found Landfall spying on Samsung Galaxy devices—including the S22, S23, S24, Z Fold4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4 series—based in the Middle East, including Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Morocco. After infecting the device, the spyware can record audio, access and collect data from photos, contacts, and call logs, among other capabilities.

Unit 42 also discovered signs that Landfall was able to infect phones without any interaction from the user, or what’s called a "zero-click" attack.

Unit 42 uncovered the spyware attack by searching Google’s VirusTotal, a malware testing service, where users can upload suspected malicious programs. "Our search led to the discovery of several previously undetected DNG image files containing embedded Android spyware that were uploaded to VirusTotal throughout 2024 and early 2025,” the team added. The DNG samples were apparently labeled as .jpeg files.

Unit 42 was only able to find some components of the spyware attack. As a result, it couldn't attribute Landfall to a specific spyware vendor. Still, the investigation found the spyware shares some overlapping traits with a threat actor called "Stealth Falcon,” which previously targeted dissidents in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, Unit 42 noted the Landfall attack "closely resembles an exploit chain involving Apple and WhatsApp that drew attention in August 2025."

Although Samsung owners are now protected from the threat, the company was informed of the danger in September 2024, but didn't release a fix until April.