technology news: A current WhatsApp hack could put your friends and family at risk

mardi 31 mars 2020

A current WhatsApp hack could put your friends and family at risk

WhatsApp is one of the best messaging services you can use. It's been around for more than 10 years, and people all around the world use it every day. Unfortunately, WhatsApp's popularity makes it a prime target for attackers. That's exactly what's happening right now as a current WhatsApp hack is putting users' accounts at risk.

What is the WhatsApp hack?

According to The Telegraph, Bad actors have been stealing WhatsApp accounts through what's called social hacking. This is when attackers use already hijacked Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, etc. accounts to contact victims, posing as their friends or family.

An attacker pretends they are having a difficult time getting into their WhatsApp accounts, and trick the victim into handing over their WhatsApp security verification code by claiming it's the attacker's. This social hack gives the bad actor full access to the victim's WhatsApp account, which they can then use to manipulate the victim's other friends and family into giving them money, sharing their bank account numbers, etc.

Although this WhatsApp hack has been used before, it's particularly harmful right now since attackers can use the current coronavirus pandemic as leverage when conning victims' friends and family. The Telegraph reports that hackers are currently using it across the UK, but there is no reason why they couldn't use it elsewhere.

How to protect yourself

WhatsApp has yet to find a way to fix the issue. For now, the company tells its users not to share security verification codes with anybody, including loved ones.

We recommend implementing two-step verification within your WhatsApp account for further protection. Setting this up is easy. Just navigate to Settings > Account > Two-step verification. This will prompt you to create a six-digit pin for whenever you add WhatsApp to a new device. You'll also add your email address just in case you forget your PIN.

If an attacker still gets access to your account, getting it back isn't too difficult. You can get back your stolen account by signing back into your WhatsApp account and re-verifying your phone number as laid out in WhatsApp's FAQ pages.

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