MSGID: 2:221/1.58@fidonet 0124a3d0
PID: OpenXP/5.0.51 (Win32)
CHRS: ASCII 1
TZUTC: -0400

FYI,  gleened from Durov's Telegram channel, Oct 5..

[start]

"Hackers could have full access (!) to everything on the phones of WhatsApp
users.

"This was possible through a security issue disclosed by WhatsApp itself
(https://www.whatsapp.com/security/advisories/2022/) last week. All a hacker
had to do to control your phone was send you a malicious video or start a
video call with you on WhatsApp.

"You are probably thinking "Yeah, but if I updated WhatsApp to the latest
version, I am safe, right"?

"Not really.

"A WhatsApp security issue exactly like this one was discovered in 2018
(https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/10/whatsapp-bug-let-hackers-hijack
accounts-with-a-video-call-reports.html), then another in 2019 (
ttps://www.ft.com/content/4da1117e-756c-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab) and yet
another one in 2020 (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets
news/whatsapp-reveals-six-security-issues-that-could-have-got-it
-users-hacked/articleshow/77925426.cms) (tap each year's link to see the
corresponding vulnerability). And yes, in 2017 (https://telegra.
h/whatsapp-backdoor-01-16) before that. Prior to 2016, WhatsApp didn't have
encryption at all.

"Every year, we learn about some issue in WhatsApp that puts everything on
their users' devices at risk. Which means it's almost certain that a new
security flaw already exists there. Such issues are hardly incidental - they
are planted backdoors. If one backdoor is discovered and has to be removed,
another one is added (read the post "Why WhatsApp will never be secure
(https://telegra.ph/Why-WhatsApp-Will-Never-Be-Secure-05-15)" to understand
why).

"It doesn't matter if you are the richest person on earth - if you have
WhatsApp installed on your phone, all your data from every app on your device
is accessible, as Jeff Bezos found out in 2020 (https://www.theg
ardian.com/technology/2020/jan/21/amazon-boss-jeff-bezoss-phone-
acked-by-saudi-crown-prince). That's why I deleted WhatsApp from my devices
years ago. Having it installed creates a door to get into your phone.

"I'm not pushing people to switch to Telegram here. With 700M+ active users
and 2M+ daily signups, Telegram doesn't need additional promotion. You can use
any messaging app you like, but do stay away from WhatsApp - it has now been a
surveillance tool for 13 years.

[stop]

Personally, I find Telegram a great little comm app to use between friends.


--- OpenXP 5.0.51
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