WhatsApp rolls out usernames to help users hide their phone number
WhatsApp is finally allowing users to reserve usernames, a privacy feature that lets them hide their phone numbers from people not in their contact list. Meta says that more than 3 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp’s instant messaging and video-calling platform, which started as an alternative to the Short Message Service (SMS) […]
U.S. offers $10 million for hackers targeting WhatsApp, Signal users
The U.S. Department of State is offering up to $10 million for information that helps identify or locate members of the UNC5792 and UNC4221 hacker groups, which are linked to Russia’s intelligence and military services. The bounty is part of the ‘Rewards for Justice’ (RFJ) program, which targets foreign state actors carrying out cyberattacks against […]
WhatsApp phishing attack uses fake business docs to hack PCs
An ongoing malware campaign is targeting WhatsApp users in multiple countries with deceptive messages that push VBScript files, leading to remote system access. The threat actor is using file names that indicate business and financial documents delivered by the victim’s contacts, whose accounts had been compromised. By downloading and executing the malicious attachments, the recipient […]
WhatsApp says it disrupted new NSO spyware phishing attacks
WhatsApp has detected and stopped spear-phishing campaigns allegedly conducted by the NSO Group after investigating user reports of social engineering attacks. The NSO Group is an Israeli commercial spyware vendor known for its advanced “Pegasus” tool that has been deployed against politicians, activists, journalists, academics, and other “high-interest” individuals. The firm has been on the […]
New TCLBanker malware self-spreads over WhatsApp and Outlook
A new trojan named TCLBanker, which targets 59 banking, fintech, and cryptocurrency platforms, uses a trojanized MSI installer for Logitech AI Prompt Builder to infect systems. Additionally, the malware includes self-spreading worm modules for WhatsApp and Outlook that automatically infect new victims. The new banking trojan was discovered by Elastic Security Labs, whose researchers believe it’s […]
WhatsApp rolls out more AI features, iOS multi-account support
WhatsApp is rolling out multiple features designed to make the app easier to use, including AI-powered message replies and photo retouching, support for two accounts on iOS, and chat history transfer between iOS and Android devices. Meta said that after the new updates, users will be able to touch up images in the chat before […]
FBI links Signal phishing attacks to Russian intelligence services
The FBI has issued a public service announcement warning that Russian intelligence-linked threat actors are actively targeting users of encrypted messaging apps such as Signal and WhatsApp in phishing campaigns that have already compromised thousands of accounts. The FBI’s PSA is the first public attribution linking these campaigns directly to Russian intelligence services, rather than a […]
WhatsApp introduces parent-managed accounts for pre-teens
WhatsApp has begun rolling out parent-managed accounts for pre-teens, allowing parents and guardians to decide who can contact them and which groups they can join. These accounts are restricted to messaging and calling and do not include access to Meta AI, Channels, Status, or location sharing. The child’s messages remain end-to-end encrypted and cannot be […]
Meta adds new WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger anti-scam tools
Meta is introducing new anti-scam protections across its platforms, deploying systems and user-facing warnings to protect users against scammers. The new features are designed to help catch fraud attempts before WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger engage with them. WhatsApp now alerts users when behavioral signals suggest a device-linking request may be fraudulent, a tactic scammers have […]
Dutch govt warns of Signal, WhatsApp account hijacking attacks
Russian state-sponsored hackers have been linked to an ongoing Signal and WhatsApp phishing campaign targeting government officials, military personnel, and journalists to gain access to sensitive messages. This report comes from the Netherlands Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) and the Netherlands General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), who confirmed that Dutch government employees have been […]