WhatsApp hacking 'on the rise'

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) issued an advisory for the public as hacking of WhatsApp accounts is increased considerably, ARY News reported.

In a statement, the FIA spokesman said that the agency noticed an alarming increase in WhatsApp hacking incidents, adding that cybercriminals are targeting women’s accounts mostly.

The FIA cybercrime wing maintained that the hackers are using modern methods to gain unauthorised access to accounts.

“The hackers are using phishing (a form of social engineering and scam where attackers deceive people into revealing sensitive information or installing malware such as ransomware) to gain access to accounts,” the FIA warned the public.

The agency advised WhatsApp users to be cautious of suspicious messages and links and to enable two-step verification to secure their accounts.

“Avoid opening messages or photos, videos or files sent from unknown numbers,” FIA’s advisory added.

It also suggested the WhatsApp user to regularly review and update WhatsApp privacy settings. The agency asked the citizens to report hacked accounts on helpline at 1991 or visit or visit the nearest FIA circle.

Earlier, it was reported that WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature for Mac users that allows them to share status updates directly from their computers.

This update comes shortly after a similar feature was introduced for Android devices. Now, WhatsApp users can share images, videos, GIFs, text, and voice messages via status updates from any linked device.

According to the latest WhatsApp beta for Mac version 24.11.73, available on the TestFlight app, beta testers can now post status updates directly from the status tab on their Macs.