If you have an Android smartphone, you may be wondering, “Can WhatsApp be hacked on Android?” This article will explain how hackers can hijack a victim’s account and access their data. These hackers can also take over their phone, using the WhatsApp web interface, or hijack their account by registering their number to another device. Here are some ways to avoid the attacks. These methods are not foolproof, however.
Hackers exploit a vulnerability in WhatsApp
This vulnerability is caused by a bug in WhatsApp’s open-source GIF image-parsing library, which allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on a targeted device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must send the targeted user a specially-crafted malicious GIF which will trigger the malware when the user opens the GIF in WhatsApp. However, Android versions prior to 8.0 do not allow the double-free exploit to work. However, older versions of Android will trigger the exploit even though the phone will crash before the attacker can run the malware.
The bugs were found in WhatsApp’s Android application and were reported by security researcher CENSUS Labs. Once exploited, the bugs allowed remote attackers to execute malicious code or intercept communications. The vulnerabilities could also be exploited to install applications onto vulnerable devices. The vulnerability has been fixed by the company, but this is just the beginning. Hackers should keep an eye out for similar bugs in future versions of the app.
Hackers take control of a victim’s phone
A powerful piece of malware called Pegasus can be used to install on a victim’s phone. This malware can secretly access WhatsApp messages, record calls, and activate the phone’s camera. Pegasus turns a victim’s phone into a 24-hour surveillance system. What’s more, the hacker does not have to interact with the victim to best spy apps for android install Pegasus. All a hacker needs to do is call a victim’s WhatsApp account and install the malware.
CloudSEK CEO Rahul Sasi says that malicious actors have already tried to take over a victim’s WhatsApp account. But this new scam involves social engineering. They try to lure the victim by calling random numbers in the victim’s contacts. When the victim replies, they often click on the message. The hacker then demands money from his contacts. Most victims are quick to call a number that begins with ’67’ or ‘405’.
Hackers access a victim’s data via WhatsApp web
Facebook-owned WhatsApp recently revealed that it was vulnerable to attack that could let hackers access a victim’s phone. Hackers could have installed malicious code on a victim’s phone by placing a voice call, without their victims even answering it. Luckily, WhatsApp quickly patched the issue. However, a London-based human rights lawyer was also a potential target.
Hackers had just two days to exploit the vulnerability before the attack was revealed.
A hacker could then view messages from a victim’s phone and use this information to make malicious calls. However, this method does require the hacker to be close to the victim’s device.
Hence, it is vital that the victim be as cautious as possible when using the application. Hackers have multiple ways to gain access to a victim’s data, including the WhatsApp web interface.
Hackers hijack a victim’s account by registering their number on another device
The process of stealing a victim’s account involves registering their phone number on another device and tricking a carrier into transferring the number to theirs. Once they’ve got access to the victim’s phone number, they’ll take over their account, reset their password, and redirect all messages to their device. They will then have access to all the information stored in the account, which may include credit card information. In recent months, these hackers have targeted cryptocurrency holders and online banking services, as well as Dropbox.
To perform this trick, the hacker will first access the victim’s email address, which the hacker will then use to create a new account. Once he has access to the victim’s email account, he’ll then add a Trojan identifier to it. That Trojan identifier could be another phone number or email address that has been registered on another device. This way, the hacker can steal the victim’s information and continue to use it to commit crimes, such as identity theft and fraud.