Whatsapp

Tracking WhatsApp (symbolic image created with Stable Diffusion) Researchers at the University of Vienna have uncovered vulnerabilities within WhatsApp and Signal that allow undetectable user tracking through round-trip time (RTT) measurements. A simple program now available on GitHub demonstrates how easily this weakness can be exploited. Marc Herter (translated by Marc Herter), Published 12/11/2025 🇩🇪 A group of researchers from the University of Vienna has found a small but serious security hole in the way end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging services work. The study, initially published on November 17, 2024, under the title "Careless Whisper: Exploiting Silent Delivery Receipts to Monitor Users on Mobile Instant Messengers," highlights the possibility of tracking devices using Round-Trip Time (RTT) data when WhatsApp or Signal are installed. A program has now been released on GitHub that can automatically exploit this vulnerability in WhatsApp. While the provision of such a tool raises ethical concerns, its purpose is intended to pressure WhatsApp into addressing the security gap and improving user privacy protections. It turns out the basic idea behind that program is surprisingly simple. The tracker sends reaction messages to non-existent message IDs. The target device still replies with a delivery receipt. This reaction, invisible to the

Late last month, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) gave messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Snapchat 90 days to enforce 'SIM-binding'. With 'SIM-binding' in force, these apps will stop working if users remove SIM card originally used for registration. The directive, that will go into effect starting effective February 2026, also mandates that web versions of these apps log out users every six hours, requiring fresh authentication via QR code. India's biggest telecom body, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) -- whose members include Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea -- welcomed the new DoT guidelines and congratulated the government on the same. COAI said that making SIM binding mandatory would keep a reliable link between the user, the number, and the device, which could help reduce spam, fraud calls, and financial scams. However, Broadband India Forum or BIF, which represents major technology companies such as WhatsApp parent Meta, Google and others, has termed 'SIM-binding' guidelines as "problematic". BIF along with Internet and Mobile Association of India, representing Meta and other digital companies have claimed that no feasibility study or consultation was conducted before these directions were issued. Critics question whether 'SIM-binding' will effectively curb fraud, since many scammers

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Christmas scams are back in season. Consumer protection agency Which? is alerting users that a fake Cadbury Christmas giveaway is once again making the rounds on WhatsApp. The scam claims you can win a chocolate hamper just by clicking a link and completing a short quiz. What the Scam Looks Like Victims receive a WhatsApp message claiming that Cadbury is giving away free Christmas hampers or “Chocolate Magic Baskets.” The message includes branded Cadbury images, holiday-themed text, a link to a suspicious website, as well as a prompt to share the giveaway with friends Some versions even include your name or address, details that scammers may have collected from previous data breaches to make the message feel more convincing. Source: Which? Once you tap the link, you’re taken to a webpage styled to look like a Cadbury promotion. From there, the scam usually unfolds in four steps: 1. A fake quiz or survey You’re asked a few harmless questions. 2. A ‘choose your gift box’ game This is engineered to ensure you always “win,” typically after a couple of attempts (three attempts) to build excitement. 3. A request to share the link To “claim the prize,” you’re prompted to forward

WhatsApp ended support for several older smartphones this December , marking another cycle in the app’s routine discontinuation of outdated devices. Meta clarifies in its official FAQ that the platform periodically withdraws compatibility with older hardware and operating systems to maintain security, performance, and support for new features . As the app evolves, minimum system requirements increase , leaving behind devices that are no longer capable of running newer versions efficiently or securely. Effective since December 1 , smartphones released in 2016 have officially lost access to WhatsApp . While this discontinuation does not immediately lock users out, the transition happens gradually. Before full access is removed, users typically receive notifications urging them to update the operating system . However, when updates are no longer possible due to hardware limitations, support is terminated . Without security updates, older phones become more vulnerable to cyber threats , making continued use of WhatsApp on unsupported devices unsafe. The newly affected devices include models from major brands such as Xiaomi, Samsung, Apple, Huawei, HTC, and Sony . Among the phones losing compatibility are: Huawei Mate 9 Pro Samsung Galaxy S7 Xiaomi Mi Note 2 HTC 10 evo Sony Xperia XZ Xiaomi Mi 5

Add Tribune As Your Trusted Source Home / Himachal Pradesh / Churah MLA Dr Hansraj’s WhatsApp account hacked; police launch probe Churah Assembly constituency’s BJP MLA Dr Hansraj has reported that his WhatsApp account was hacked. The MLA disclosed the incident through a video posted on social media, following which the Tissa police registered a case and began an investigation. Dr Hansraj stated that his WhatsApp number 9816917253 was compromised by unidentified cybercriminals. He lodged a complaint with the police and urged the public not to respond to any messages sent from his number, warning that they could be fraudulent. He added that he had received a link on WhatsApp and, after clicking on it, his account was hacked. Realising the breach, he immediately alerted the authorities and initiated necessary security steps. The case is likely to be forwarded to the Cyber Cell for a deeper probe into the source of the malicious link, associated IP addresses, and any possible hacking network involved. Meanwhile, the police have cautioned citizens against clicking on suspicious links or messages, as such actions can compromise personal data and social media accounts. They have also advised people to report any suspicious activity to the national

If you were one of the few people who used Copilot inside WhatsApp to solve quick doubts, write messages or simply play with prompts, start saying goodbye because on January 15 it will stop working. It is not because nobody used it, but because Meta is going to prohibit third-party bots from continuing to operate on its platform. And this drags everyone, Copilot, ChatGPT and any other conversational assistant that is not theirs. So, they are clear about it, if someone wants AI in WhatsApp, they will have to use the app’s own AI. Only their own AI fits During 2024 and part of 2025 we saw how WhatsApp filled up with bots, experiments and assistants that could talk to you as if you were chatting with any contact, and it was strange, like there were many stimuli in the same platform, very fun. But now Meta wants to change everything and does not want external conversational models inside the app, because they will only allow AI that manages external services, not assistants that live inside the chat and compete for attention. Microsoft is leaving because they are being forced Microsoft published a statement explaining that Meta was “banning” it

Meta continues to expand WhatsApp with a steady stream of updates and while most people rely on it daily for basic messaging, the app has quietly gained a suite of advanced features that often go unnoticed. From managing multiple accounts to translating chats on the fly, here are some of the most useful tools now built directly into WhatsApp. Share photos at higher quality automatically While messaging apps often compress media to save bandwidth, WhatsApp now offers an option to send and receive photos in high quality by default. Users can still tap the HD icon when sending individual images, but changing the default setting ensures all photos and videos are shared in the best possible quality. This can be enabled under Settings > Storage and data > Media upload quality, followed by selecting HD quality for both upload and auto-download preferences. It results in better-looking images, though it does require more storage space. Secure your account with Passkeys WhatsApp now supports passkey authentication, adding a significant layer of security for users worried about device theft or unauthorised access. Passkeys use biometric verification to ensure only the account owner can complete setup on a new device. To activate this protection

WhatsApp Discord and Teams all consume more RAM at a time when RAM prices are on the rise Some of the most popular apps in Windows 11 use so much RAM that they can impact your PC performance, and the fact that RAM prices are soaring high makes matters even worse. The issue is due to the trend of developers preferring web apps instead of native apps on Windows. Very recently, Windows Latest reported how RAM-intensive apps like Discord, Teams, and the new WhatsApp are, even while in the background. The common factor here is that these are communication-centric apps, and as you’d expect, they need to be kept alive even when you’re not using them. However, our testing proved that native versions of the apps (like the old WhatsApp) were not consuming a lot of RAM. These are some of the most used apps in Windows, regardless of what domain people are in. So, why don’t these apps have native versions? Is it that difficult for these companies to build native and optimized versions for the most popular desktop operating system? The worst RAM offenders on Windows 11 There hasn’t been a more relevant time to talk about RAM

Former police officer Wade Milyard started Fresh Step Laundry to serve the homeless Wade Milyard heard the voice from “out of nowhere” and knew he needed to listen—he thought it was God, or some other higher power, calling him into action. It started a few years ago when the former canine officer for the Frederick Police Department in Maryland was responding to a domestic dispute at a homeless camp. Soon after he investigated the disturbance, the voice rang out. “Ask them about their laundry…” Milyard heeded the voice, asked the question, and unknowingly set the course for a prayer-fulfilling future. The homeless couple he interviewed told him they typically washed their laundry in a nearby creek. The cop never forgot that response, nor his call to service. He pooled multiple donations with some of his own money and went to work creating a full service laundromat on wheels. Fresh Step Laundry was born—with a mission “to help restore dignity to the unhoused community by providing free, accessible, and hygienic laundry.” Bus conversion by Fresh Step Laundry Since retiring from the police force in January, the 45-year-old has been traveling around his Maryland city, which is near D.C., making a difference—one