Defense Minister targeted by cyber attack that allowed messages to be sent in his name

Nuno Melo, the Minister of National Defense, reported a cyber attack on his mobile phone that allowed unauthorized individuals to send messages in his name. The attack exploited vulnerabilities due to the phone's inability to install software updates. Melo explained that the incident involved communication diversion and contact duplication, enabling third parties to impersonate him on WhatsApp. The issue was resolved after he replaced his phone. An official source indicated that a message sent in his name requested a money transfer, prompting security protocols to be activated after the attack was detected, which was attributed to a virus.