A scam may log you out of your WhatsApp account
WhatsApp users have been warned about a new hacking attack that could prevent you from accessing your account after a single phone call.
Besides account hijacking, the attack also allows access to the victim's contact list and read their WhatsApp messages.
This malicious attack can be carried out on an unsuspecting WhatsApp user within minutes.
The threat was highlighted by Rahul Sassi, founder and CEO of digital threat protection firm CloudSEK, who explained it in a LinkedIn post.
The attack takes place after the hackers obtained the phone number of the WhatsApp user.
After receiving a phone call from the attackers, they will try to convince the victim to call another number.
He did not reveal how the user was persuaded to make this phone call in the research, but it likely includes typical tactics used by scammers.
This includes saying that the target deserves some kind of financial reward, or that its account is at risk, or saying anything else that could cause someone to panic and follow instructions.
And if a WhatsApp user ends up calling the number they were told within a few minutes, they will be banned from their account.
Explaining how it works, Sassi said: “Beware, here's how to hack WhatsApp accounts. First, you receive a call from the attacker who will convince you to call the following number: 67*<10 digit number"> or *405*<10 digit =" number="">.Within a few minutes, your WhatsApp will be logged out, and the attackers will have full control of your account."
Bleeping Computer said in an online post that hackers are able to take control of accounts thanks to automated services from carriers that forward calls to a different phone number, along with WhatsApp, which allows users to send a one-time verification password (OTP) via a voice call. .
Once hackers have the one-time password, they can take over the WhatsApp account, register it on their devices, and then use two-factor authentication to prevent the owner from regaining access.
The technology site conducted its own experiments to see if the scam was successful, and found that it worked, but it required more effort than expected.
Fortunately, if you want to protect yourself from this attack, there is one thing you can do today to close your WhatsApp account.
Turning on two-factor authentication for now will help protect you from this type of attack, while you should also be wary of unsolicited text messages or phone calls that either try to induce you to visit an external website, or provide personal and financial information.
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