WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. It is estimated that more than one billion people use this app, sending more than 65 billion messages per day.
So, it is not surprising that security issues, malware threats, and spam started to appear on the platform. The victims have started to fall.
So that you don't become the next victim, it's important to know about the most common WhatsApp security issues and scams.
5 WhatsApp Security Threat Risks You Need to Know
1. WhatsApp Web Malware
With so many users WhatsApp Web makes it a target for cybercriminals. Moreover, the security is not as tight as the application on iOS or Android.
Criminals, hackers and fraudsters take advantage of this loophole. Many then spread the malicious software as the WhatsApp desktop application. If the user downloads and installs it can spread malware thereby harming the computer.
There is also an approach to creating phishing websites to trick users into giving up personal information. Some of these websites masquerade as WhatsApp Web, asking users to enter a phone number to connect to the service.
However, they actually use that number to bombard users with spam or link them to other leaked or hacked data on the internet.
The best way to stay safe is to only use apps and services from official sources. WhatsApp offers a web client to use on any computer. It is only accessed via the WhatsApp website.
There are also official apps for macOS and Windows devices that should be used to avoid WhatsApp scams.
2. Unencrypted Backup
Messages you send on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted. This means that only your device, and the receiving device, can decode it.
This feature prevents your messages from being intercepted during transmission, even by Meta itself. However, this does not secure the messages once they are decrypted on your device.
WhatsApp lets you back up your messages and media on Android and iOS. This is an important feature as it allows you to recover accidentally deleted WhatsApp messages.
There are local backups on your device in addition to cloud-based backups. On Android, you can back up WhatsApp data to Google Drive. Meanwhile, if you use an iPhone, the backup uses iCloud. The backup contains decrypted messages from your device.
Backup files stored in iCloud or Google Drive are not necessarily encrypted. Since this file contains decrypted versions of all your messages, it is theoretically vulnerable and breaks WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption.
Because you have no choice in the backup location. While no large-scale hack has affected iCloud or Google Drive to date, that doesn't mean it's impossible,
Thankfully, WhatsApp updated its service to include end-to-end encrypted chat backups. However, this setting is disabled by default. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > End-to-end Encrypted Backup and select Turn on to secure your WhatsApp backup.
3. Hoax and Fake News
In recent years, social media companies have been criticized for allowing fake news and misinformation to spread on their platforms. Meta, in particular, has been criticized for its role in spreading misinformation during the 2020 US Presidential campaign. WhatsApp has also been subject to the same powers.
Two of the most prominent cases occurred in India and Brazil. WhatsApp was implicated in the widespread violence that occurred in India during 2017 and 2018. Messages containing details of fabricated child abductions were forwarded and disseminated across platforms, adapted to local information. These messages were widely shared on people's networks and resulted in the lynching of those accused of this bogus crime.
In Brazil, WhatsApp was the main source of fake news throughout the 2018 election. Because this kind of misinformation spreads so easily, Brazilian businessmen set up companies that made WhatsApp misinformation campaigns illegal against candidates. They can do this because your phone number is a username on WhatsApp, so they buy a list of phone numbers to target.
Both issues lasted into 2018, a very terrible year for Meta. Digitally misinformation is a difficult issue to deal with, but many view WhatsApp's response to these events as apathetic.
However, the company did implement some changes. WhatsApp limited message forwarding to five people or groups from the previous limit of 250. The company also removed the forwarding shortcut button in some regions.
4. WhatsApp Status
For years, the WhatsApp status feature contained a short line of text. It changed to WhatsApp Status when Instagram Stories were popular.
Instagram is a platform designed for the public, although you can make your profile private. WhatsApp, on the other hand, is a more intimate service that is used to communicate with friends and family. So, you might assume that Status sharing on WhatsApp is private too.
However, that is not the case. Anyone in your WhatsApp contacts can see your Status. Luckily, it's pretty easy to control who you share your Status with.
Navigate to Settings > Account > Privacy > Status , and you will be shown three privacy options for your Status updates:
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5. Specific Words
Spam often uses the same general tactics to try and trick you. According to WhatsApp's own literature, there are five common types of words in messages that you need to be aware of:
Spelling or grammatical errors.
Asks you to tap on a link or activate a new feature via a link.
Asks you to share your personal information, such as credit card or bank account numbers, date of birth, passwords.
Asks you to forward the message.
Claims that you have to pay to use WhatsApp.
If you receive a message that matches any of the criteria, you should delete it immediately.