WhatsApp security BUG: Are strangers reading YOUR private chats and messages?

WhatsApp is the perennially popular chat platform, boasting 1.5 billion regular users. The third-party chat app keeps ahead of the competition with regular updates and new features and functions. Yet despite these improvements, WhatsApp has apparently been beset by another bug, exposing a major security flaw.

Concerns were raised around the world after a WhatsApp user claimed she found another person’s messages on her phone.

The apparent bug potentially means a random person’s private texts may have been exposed to a complete stranger.

This supposed security issue was spotted by WhatsApp user Abby Fuller.

Ms Fuller took to Twitter to complain, writing “this doesn’t seem right”.

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“Logged into WhatsApp with a new phone number today and the message history from the previous number’s owner was right there?!

“And now I’m wondering how many other times it’s happened?

“Like does whoever has my old number now have MY WhatsApp history?”

Her complaint quickly went viral and concerned WhatsApp users were quick to bombard her with questions about the issue.

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Adding to the Twitter thread, Ms Fuller wrote: “Yes it was a new device. No it wasn’t second hand. It was not a second-hand SIM.”

“Yes I’m sure they weren’t my messages, or groups that I was added to.

“Yes they were in plaintext. I am sure it’s my phone number. It was not restored from a backup,” Fuller added.

Thankfully the bug seems to be an isolated incident, as no one else has complained about a similar blunder.

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WhatsApp has advised users to migrate their WhatsApp account to a new number before they stop using their number.

A Statement on WhatsApp’ site says: “Before you stop using a particular phone number, you should migrate your WhatsApp account to the new number.

“For a simple way to do this, use our Change Number feature.

“By using this feature, you will be able to migrate your account information (including your profile information) as well as your groups”.

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It is a common practice of telecom service providers to recycle old numbers therefore one must not be surprised that an old number has been reassigned to someone else.

Meanwhile, as of now, it seems to be an isolated complaint and no other WhatsApp users have complained about this particular issue.

WhatsApp has been approach for a comment and this story will be updated when a response arrives.

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source: express.co.uk