WhatsApp is one of the most downloaded applications in the world and the most popular messaging service, which is why it is always in the eyes of cybercriminals. As technology advances, there are new ways to steal data and even delete accounts.
The most frequently performed robbery is deleting WhatsApp accounts. The mechanism is as follows: they send a text message to the victim impersonating a technical service and the information may vary, but in general it is always the same message.
“Dear user. We inform you that someone has recently registered a WhatsApp account with their number and we cannot determine if the login is legitimate,” says the text that reaches the victim’s WhatsApp.
She continues, “Because user activity logs can contain confidential and private information, the WhatsApp support team cannot investigate alerts caused by suspicious login activity.”
After the WhatsApp message, a text message comes with a verification code that is the target of the hack. We have sent you an identity verification request to verify root [SMS]. Failure to pass the verification process or to abandon the attempt will result in an indefinite suspension.
What they want is for the victim to click on the SMS to make them lose access to their account and take control. This way they can access conversations, view a list of contacts, and take personal information, among other things.
This is a very clever attack, because cybercriminals use the company’s security measures to turn them into a vulnerability, warns Herv Lambert, director of global consumer operations at Panda Security.
For this reason, it is essential not to click on any message or link sent by WhatsApp without first checking with a technician or contacting support. In some countries such as Spain, this is a crime against privacy with penalties in between One year and four years in prison.
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