WhatsApp’s Epic Data Leak: 3.5 Billion Users Exposed in Record-Breaking Breach
Researchers in Austria exploited a WhatsApp flaw, collecting personal data from over 3.5 billion users in what they claim is the largest data leak in history. With the right tools, they extracted user info at lightning speed, while WhatsApp seemingly napped on security. Who knew your phone number could throw such a wild party?
Hot Take:
Who knew that a phone number could be the gateway to the world’s largest game of “Guess Who?” WhatsApp wasn’t just connecting people; it was practically inviting researchers to a massive, unplanned tech expo featuring the “Who’s Who” of 3.5 billion users. Talk about an accidental open house!
Key Points:
- Researchers in Austria uncovered a WhatsApp flaw, leading to a data leak involving 3.5 billion users.
- The platform’s phone number feature, combined with Google’s libphonenumber, facilitated massive data enumeration.
- WhatsApp’s lack of effective rate-limiting or blocking enabled the researchers to gather data at unprecedented speeds.
- Data gathered included phone numbers, names, profile pictures, and even personal text details.
- Meta’s response involved implementing anti-scraping measures, albeit after a lengthy disclosure process.
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