What’s App Was HACKED And Here’s What You Need To Know
This week, WhatsApp began urging its 1.5 billion users to update their app to get the latest
security patch as it was discovered they had been hacked.
Welcome back to Inform Overload, we tell you the news, we try to make it entertaining,
but sometimes we gotta inform you that you may have be hacked. Love it when that happens.
Before we give you the hot tea on this scandal, my names Mikael Melo, I’m your host for
today, I got an Instagram and I’m sure you do too so you should go and follow us on Instagram
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The facebook-owned company whatsapp, which is described as a “simple, secure, messaging
system” was hacked this past weekend. The company said it discovered spyware that had
been remotely on “dozens” of smart phones through the app. This hack is effecting both
apple and android users. WhatsApp hasn’t publiced named the company
who has hacked them, simply describing them as “a private company that has been known
to work with governments to deliver spyware”. However, the financial times identified the
company as the NSO Group. Essentially what the hackers have done is
create a bug that allows them to take over your phone by simply calling it, whether or
not you answer. This spyware can then allow them to go through you calls, texts, data
and activate the phone’s camera and microphone. Honestly if someone hacked me all they would
get is me looking at memes on my phone like this *looks at phone and laughs*
But, regardless it’s important to know if you’re affected by this hack and how you
can protect yourself. From what me know the specific number of people
spied on hasn’t been released, but Whatapps says the people affected only amount to a
couple dozen, however everyone is still vulnerable to future hacks if they do not protect themselves.
So far we know that a a Uk-based human rights lawyer and an International researcher were
among these couple dozen of people hacked. The hack seems to go towards people who are
working in sensitive industries who use Whatsapp to share information, but even still for your
own personal use you should be vigilant. To protect yourself from this, Facebook made
a server change to the software which required users to update their WhatsApp this past Monday.
Users are strongly advised to check for updates manually through their respective phone stores.
Uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp also works. It’s important to always be updating
your software whether it be your phone or your computer as software updates mean the
latest security protection. But whats interesting is that when you update your whatsapp all
it says is says on the app store is that they’ve added new stickers and has no mention of the
security related bug. Just wanted to point that out incase they were trying to slide
that one pass *sips tea* Well then I’m gonna go update my WhatsApp
right now, for better security and better stickets too I guess, and I hope you do the
same. let me know in the comment section below how
this story made you feel. Have you ever felt like someones watching from the other side
of your phone?! Seen your phone do some weird unexplaining things? Let me know in the comment
section below. Speaking of comments I’m gonna read some comment features now.
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