Ex-WhatsApp Security Chief Sues Meta, Alleges Massive User Data Risks – IndiaWest

Ex-WhatsApp Security Chief Sues Meta, Alleges Massive User Data Risks Photo: LinkedIn India-West News Desk SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A former top cybersecurity executive at WhatsApp has filed a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of the messaging app, alleging that the tech giant ignored critical security flaws and put billions of users at risk. Attaullah Baig, who led WhatsApp’s security team from 2021 to 2025, claims the company systematically violated cybersecurity regulations and retaliated against him after he raised concerns about unsafe practices. According to Baig, roughly 1,500 engineers had unrestricted access to user data without proper oversight, potentially violating a 2020 U.S. government order that had imposed a $5 billion penalty on Meta. Baig also alleges that Meta failed to address the hacking and takeover of more than 100,000 accounts daily, choosing to prioritize user growth over security. In a 115-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Baig details how WhatsApp engineers could “move or steal user data,” including contact information, IP addresses, and profile photos, without detection or audit trails. An alumnus of India’s National Institute of Technology, Warangal, he has spent decades in cybersecurity. A LinkedIn profile says he also has
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