{"id":110973,"date":"2018-10-10T20:51:28","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T18:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=110973"},"modified":"2025-07-01T22:55:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T05:55:03","slug":"whatsapp-hacker-trick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/whatsapp-hacker-trick\/","title":{"rendered":"WhatsApp users beware this new hacker trick"},"content":{"rendered":"

Security researchers at Sophos have discovered a startling new WhatsApp vulnerability. The trick can be used to exploit anybody who hasn\u2019t changed a certain default setting and can crack a WhatsApp account wide open.<\/p>\n

New WhatsApp vulnerability can give complete control of your WhatsApp account to anybody who knows your phone number<\/h2>\n
\"Hackers
You need to activate two-factor authentication to protect yourself<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The trick comes via a WhatsApp video or voice call as the vulnerability is found in RTP (Real Time Protocol). RTP is used by many online calling apps. In the name of efficiency, RTP doesn\u2019t check to see if data that has been transmitted has arrived, and packets of data might not arrive in the same order they were sent. This allows the online calling apps using RTP to deliver the speech and video present in the data, and only cut out the speech and video from lost packets rather than lose the whole conversation.<\/p>\n

Another key step in the complicated process required to perform an online voice or video call is squeezing all of the data into small binary packets and then unraveling them all again when they\u2019ve arrived. This process, if not done correctly, can lead to data being moved where it shouldn\u2019t be and left unprotected.<\/p>\n

\r\n

More Softonic Articles<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n

5 tips to prevent security issues with your phone \u25ba<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n \r\n

\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n

8 tricks to strengthen your WhatsApp security \u25ba<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n \r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n

7 mistakes that put your internet security at risk \u25ba<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n \r\n

\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n

8 tricks to boost your security on Google Chrome \u25ba<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

The trick that Sophos uncovered exploits these two minor vulnerabilities and enables hackers to take control of any WhatsApp account they can call. If a hacker calls you on WhatsApp who knows the trick, and you answer, they can take control of your account.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is good news, however. The flaw was reported and there does seem to be a patch available in the latest update.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \"WhatsApp\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n WhatsApp Messenger<\/span>\r\n Update WhatsApp \u25ba<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n <\/path><\/path>8<\/text><\/svg>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

Unfortunately, as pointed out by the guys at Sophos, there is a slight discrepancy between the date the trick was closed and the date the patch was released.\u00a0This means there are two things you need to do to protect your WhatsApp account against this trick.<\/p>\n

How to protect your WhatsApp account<\/h3>\n

1. Ensure your apps are updated regularly.<\/strong> If you set your apps to update automatically, they\u2019ll always have the latest security patches that have been built to close off known vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> Turn on two-factor authentication<\/strong> by going to Settings<\/strong>, then Account<\/strong>, and opening Two-step verification. <\/strong>Hit Enable <\/strong>and you\u2019re done.<\/p>\n

Two-factor authentication means you will need to confirm whenever you log into WhatsApp via a new device using a second login credential of your choosing. As this information isn\u2019t available via the trick Sophos have highlighted, it\u2019ll block the hackers from using the information they can steal via a video or voice call with your account from taking it over. It is highly recommended that you activate two-factor authentication across your other apps and social accounts wherever possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Your phone number could leave you vulnerable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9073,"featured_media":110976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[1015],"tags":[2333,1040,1027,1043],"usertag":[790],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-110973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-app-subdomain-redirectionwhatsapp","tag-messaging-apps","tag-security","tag-whatsapp","usertag-whatsapp"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t