As reported by TechAdvisor, WhatsApp says it has fixed an issue that meant some users’ phone numbers were showing up unintended in Google search results. Researcher Athul Jayaram posted about the flaw on 7 June, saying “his privacy issue in the WhatsApp web portal that leaked around 29000–300000 WhatsApp user’s mobile numbers in plaintext accessible to any internet user”.
This was down to the behaviour of WhatsApp’s Click to Chat feature where users can start conversations with people using a phone number but without saving the phone number in their contacts. It creates a link via which you can open a new chat. Jayaram found that it was possible to expose phone numbers from Click to Chat by running a search for “site:wa.me”.
Experts Comments
What do you think of the topic? Do you agree with expert(s) or share your expert opinion below.
Be part of our growing Information Security Expert Community (1000+), please register here.
Be part of our growing Information Security Expert Community (1000+), please register here.
Linkedin Message
@Jake Moore, Cybersecurity Specialist, provides expert commentary at @Information Security Buzz.
"Bad actors are very clever at using minimal information to target their victims. ..."
#infosec #cybersecurity #isdots
https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/expert-comments/experts-reaction-on-whatsapp-fixes-issue-that-showed-phone-numbers-in-google-searches
Facebook Message
@Jake Moore, Cybersecurity Specialist, provides expert commentary at @Information Security Buzz.
"Bad actors are very clever at using minimal information to target their victims. ..."
#infosec #cybersecurity #isdots
https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/expert-comments/experts-reaction-on-whatsapp-fixes-issue-that-showed-phone-numbers-in-google-searches