Around 1,500 WhatsApp Accounts Compromised in Pakistan Since July: Interior Minister
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Loading... - Akasha Channar
- 12 Nov 2024
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In a concerning revelation, Pakistan's Interior Minister has reported that approximately 1,500 WhatsApp accounts have been compromised in the country since July 1. Despite the end-to-end encryption provided by the Meta-owned messaging application, hackers have found ways to exploit unsecured connections and gain access to private conversations.
During a session in the Senate, the Interior Minister disclosed that the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing (CCW) had received a total of 1,426 complaints related to hacked WhatsApp accounts since the beginning of July. This figure does not account for users who have not yet reported their compromised accounts, indicating that the actual number of affected individuals could be significantly higher.
Out of the reported cases, the CCW successfully restored 549 hacked accounts. Currently, the agency is processing an additional 877 complaints, with 20 cases escalated to formal inquiries. However, 40 complaints remain unanswered, and 817 are still in the verification stage.
The issue of hacked WhatsApp accounts is not new in Pakistan. Last year, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar claimed that a complaint was filed with the CCW for the recovery of his own hacked WhatsApp account. Sources within the FIA indicated that the agency would follow standard operating procedures regarding the complaint filed by Nisar’s son. However, the FIA has faced challenges in addressing the overwhelming number of complaints due to a lack of staff and modern equipment necessary to combat cybercrime effectively.
Government officials have been specifically warned against responding to WhatsApp messages, as security agencies have identified malware that can be used to access sensitive government documents. Reports indicate that hackers have attempted to infiltrate the mobile phones of senior bureaucrats by impersonating government officials.
A senior government official revealed that several joint secretaries and additional secretaries in various ministries received messages from hackers posing as their superiors, attempting to extract confidential information through malware sent via WhatsApp.
The hacking of WhatsApp accounts is part of a broader trend observed globally. In 2019, senior government officials in multiple US-allied countries, including Pakistan, were targeted with sophisticated hacking software that exploited vulnerabilities in WhatsApp to take control of users' phones. According to sources familiar with WhatsApp’s internal investigation, a significant number of the known victims were high-profile government and military officials across at least 20 countries on five continents.
The alarming number of compromised WhatsApp accounts in Pakistan highlights the ongoing challenges of cybersecurity in an increasingly digital world. As hackers continue to develop new methods to exploit vulnerabilities, it is crucial for individuals and organizations, especially government officials, to remain vigilant and adopt best practices for online security. The FIA's efforts to address these issues are hampered by resource limitations, underscoring the need for enhanced support and technology to combat cybercrime effectively.
