WhatsApp and Telegram Users at Risk

WhatsApp and Telegram flaw put its billion users at risk! With a prevailing threat of not just weakening of cybersecurity but also cyber warfare. Where the end-to-end encryption was the only reliable feature of these apps, generating billions of users, Symantec — a cybersecurity company, has found loopholes in it. The cybersecurity flaw could expose,media files or documents being shared on WhatsApp or Telegram, to hacking and manipulation ofdata or information in it by malicious actors.

The cybersecurity threat is known as the Media File Jacking, which emerges from the time lapse between when the media files are received through the apps, usually written to a disk and the time they are loaded in another app’s chat user interface. The tweet of Artur Papyan explains it.

Anyone using these apps to share files, photos or documented bank account details is vulnerable to the risk as the hacker can replace the file, or swap the photo, video, change financial account details or manipulate news feature while the media file is being transferred from one user interface to another’s.

Considering the perception that security mechanisms like end-to-end encryption condense the immunity of these new generations IM apps to privacy risks, this threat is especially significant to the countries with dangers of war and enemies.

Symantec also operating as a cybersecurity company in India, where WhatsApp is one of the most used social media apps, the risk of Media File Jacking will create havoc for Indian Cyber Security resulting in chances of Cyber Warfare. Like shown in a tweet below by @swarmnetics, right after the issue went public.

Before going public with the cyber threat, the cybersecurity company issued notifications to Telegram and Facebook/WhatsApp about Media File Jacking vulnerability. WhatsApp reacted immediately stating that it is doing what needs to be done however further changes can limit and put restrictions on sharing of files and photos, thereby creating more complications.

Symantec explained that this risk can be mitigated by disabling the feature that saves media files to external storage and saving it to camera roll or phone gallery.