(image credits: Prototypr) WhatsApp often touts its privacy features, but its privacy track record isn't stellarīut the app also has many privacy flaws that can expose sensitive information.įor one, all WhatsApp backups on both Google Drive and iCloud are not encrypted. WhatsApp often touts its end-to-end encryption capability, and it does prevent message from being intercepted while in transit from sender to receiver. Is WhatsApp private?Īnother worry many WhatsApp users also have is whether WhatsApp is private. So how safe is WhatsApp exactly? Not very, it seems. Using just your phone number, hackers could seize full control of not only your WhatsApp account, but your mobile phone. That same year, cybersecurity firm Sophos also issued a safety warning to WhatsApp users. In their 2018 investigation into how safe is WhatsApp, cybersecurity firm Check Point Research also discovered that WhatsApp had a vulnerability that allowed hackers to remotely alter the text of someone else’s reply. (image credit: Forbes) Hackers have exploited WhatsApp's security flaws to remotely control mobile phones It was also discovered that hackers could remotely control target phones by infecting them with malware-laced videos and images. Victims are left vulnerable to identity theft and fraud. Once installed, the spyware grants access to highly sensitive information. In May last year, a WhatsApp security flaw allowed hackers to covertly install spyware on target smartphones. And there’s already a lot of evidence to suggest it’s not. Here’s why WhatsApp isn’t safe and private, and how you can protect your privacy better when using it. Most of your friends and family are likely still using WhatsApp too. The popular instant messaging app is no stranger to controversy.īut after so many privacy breaches, one can’t help but wonder: is WhatsApp safe for video calling, to send private pictures, or even text with at all?Īs privacy advocates, we think WhatsApp isn’t safe or private.īut WhatsApp is still the most popular chat app in the world.

After a string of privacy scandals, is WhatsApp safe and private?

Is whatsapp safe