WhatsApp has urged it’s users to update their app after security concerns were raised that hackers could apply spy software on to phones via the call function.
WhatsApp, who is owned by Facebook, has explained that the spyware has infected multiple mobile phones being orchestrated by an ‘advanced cyber actor’.
According to the Financial Times, the attack was developed by the Israeli security firm NSO Group, targeting journalists, lawyers, activists, and human rights defenders.
The spyware allows hackers to have full access to a device remotely, allowing them to not only read messages and see contacts but also being able to activate the camera function. The attack involves hackers using the voice calling function to ring a device, to then remotely installing the surveillance software without the user needing to answer the call.
WhatsApp has advised its 1.5 billion users to update their version of the app to ensure the safety of their personal data. Here is how to do that below:
Android
- Open the Google Play store
- Press the menu at the top left of your screen
- Select ‘My Apps & Games’
- If WhatsApp has recently been updated, it will appear in the list of apps with a button that says ‘Open’
- If WhatsApp has not been automatically updated, the button will say ‘Update’. Tap Update to install the new version
- The latest version of WhatsApp on Android is 2.19.134
iOS:
- Open the App Store
- At the bottom of the screen, select ‘Updates’
- If WhatsApp has recently been updated, it will appear in the list of apps with a button that says ‘Open’
- If WhatsApp has not been automatically updated, the button will say ‘Update’. Tap Update to install the new version
- The latest version of WhatsApp on iOS is 2.19.51
By Liv West