Bug in Web Browser Version of WhatsApp left 200 Million Users Vulnerable

Whats App Account Hacked

Recently WhatsApp security was breached and around 200 million users were left vulnerable to the hands of hackers from around the world. Lets have a closer look at the account of incident.

It’s been quite a time since WhatsApp launched its Web Browser version. The launch of Web Browser force closed a lot of third party apps like Bluestack. WhatsApp users have had always longed for web browser of this instant messaging application.

WhatsApp is the most popular instant messenger application on the Internet and people from the remotest corners of the world are known to use it for personal and professional purpose. Recently WhatsApp registered a total of 650 Million Users from around the world. Facebook INC. the owner of WhatsApp is planning to monetize the platform in near future.

WhatsApp is the face of changing Demographic; it represents the pattern in which people have been using Internet for communicating faster. Today imagining a life without WhatsApp is going to be difficult. WhatsApp is so famous and so successful because of its simple interface and because of high accuracy.

But recent developments are known to pull the enterprise back; WhatsApp has never been vulnerable but the launch of web browser version has made it. Thousands of expert hackers from around the world are looking forward to hack into and destroy all the data or indulge themselves into crimes like Identity Theft and Identity Fraud.

In the recent security issue, which laid around 200 million users bare to hackers, was a bug. WhatsApp has been adamant about quality service and indomitable security of personal data and information of the user but the web browser version is something that needs to be worked upon.

The issue was in the vCard files of the web browser version. WhatsApp rolled out its IOS version last month and since then there has been some or the other issue.

vCard files are used for sharing e-business cards among friends and work colleagues. These cards can also be used for sharing videos, photos and other multimedia files. The issue that let 200 million users lay bare was that this vCard file was available for extension change, means anyone can access the account, change the extension of the file and convert it into executable file.

Once converted into .exe file the vCard would have started behaving abnormally and it would have created a lot of error in mobile devices and web browsers and this set of error would have let the data slip into the wrong hands.

Developers team at WhatsApp were really prompt to take complains from people and started working on it before it was too late. They made sure that all the web browser versions were disabled for the time being and issue was addressed at the priority.

The reaction that developers at WhatsApp gave commendable, it made sure that they are here for the help of public and they are very much serious about the account of events and the security of our personal data.

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