WhatsApp said bad people could put spying software on phones. Many people who use WhatsApp are worried now.
Intel, a company that makes computer parts, found some problems with its chips. Bad people could use these problems to steal secrets.
Are apps and devices safe? Did WhatsApp’s secret code break?
No, WhatsApp’s secret code is still good. It makes messages hard to read. Only the person who gets the message can read it.
But there’s a problem. Before WhatsApp scrambles a message, someone can read it. And after it’s unscrambled, someone could read it too.
Some people say WhatsApp’s secret code is useless now. But many experts say it’s still good.
WhatsApp lets you save messages on Google Drive or iCloud. But these saved messages aren’t protected by the secret code. Bad people could read them if they break into your cloud storage.
Should people stop using WhatsApp?
Maybe, maybe not. Every app could have problems. But WhatsApp’s owner, Facebook, usually fixes problems quickly.
But even big companies like Facebook can make mistakes. They’ve had many problems with data and privacy before.
Some chat apps let anyone see how they work. This can help make them safer, but not always.
If you switch to a different chat app, your friends need to switch too. Otherwise, you won’t be able to chat with them.
Can any device be safe?
No, every device can be hacked. Even companies that say their products are safe can be wrong.
If you’re worried, you can disconnect your device from the internet. But even that might not be enough.
You should always update your apps and computer. Updates often fix security problems.
WhatsApp should’ve told people about the security problem. But they didn’t. So, it’s important to update your apps quickly.
Remember these security tips:
- Update your apps and computer
- Use different passwords
- Use two-step authentication
- Be careful with what you download
- Don’t click on unexpected links in emails or messages