Is WhatsApp safe? Not according to its ex-security chief
a day ago
- #Privacy
- #Security
- WhatsApp's former head of security, Attaullah Baig, alleges Meta ignored critical flaws allowing employee access to sensitive user data and failed to stop mass account hacks.
- WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption (E2EE) remains intact, protecting texts, photos, and voice calls, but metadata (who you talk to, when, etc.) is accessible by WhatsApp and shared with Meta in some regions.
- Baig's lawsuit claims around 1,500 employees have access to sensitive user information, potentially violating a US government order post-Cambridge Analytica scandal.
- Security risks include malware like PixPirate, zero-click exploits, SIM swapping, and exposed metadata that can be cross-referenced to re-identify users.
- WhatsApp shares data with Meta for targeted ads across platforms, and Meta AI's integration raises concerns about data usage and privacy.
- To stay safe, users should enable security notifications, use passkeys, enable encrypted backups, and avoid sharing verification codes.
- Consider more private alternatives to WhatsApp if concerned about Meta's data collection practices.