+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

Elon Musk just made a dig at WhatsApp's recent security scandals

Feb 7, 2020, 01:35 IST
Getty ImagesElon Musk.

Elon Musk on Thursday made a dig at WhatsApp's recent history with security vulnerabilities.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Musk tweeted a picture of all the major messaging platforms' versions of the robot arm emoji and wrote, "Last one comes with a free phone hack."

The last photo was Facebook-owned WhatsApp's version of the emoji, a dig at the messaging app's recent security problems.

Advertisement

In January, a forensic analysis of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' iPhone concluded it was breached using WhatsApp. The investigation concluded that a video containing malware had been sent to Bezos from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's personal WhatsApp account. After the video was sent, "large amounts of data" were extracted from the device, the investigation found.

WhatsApp did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on Musk's dig.

In 2019, WhatsApp reportedly disclosed 12 security vulnerabilities, including seven that were "critical." According to the database that collects these records, this number was much higher than in previous years, which had only one or two documented vulnerabilities.

WhatsApp has also experienced security breaches in the past. In May 2019, the app was hacked by attackers who installed spyware on people's devices. WhatsApp said that it discovered "an advanced cyber actor" had infected devices with malware, which was reportedly able to collect sensitive information, including location data and messages.

NOW WATCH: I switched to Google Photos after using iCloud for 5 years and I'm never going back

Next Article