ISLAMABAD (Sabahuddin Qazi) – The WhatsApp account of Hafiz Tahir Khalil, a renowned senior journalist and bureau chief of Jang Islamabad, has been hacked by unknown hackers, as confirmed by his son Mateen Tahir, who advised “to ignore the messages being sent through the compromised number”. Mr. Hafiz Tahir Khalil is known as one of the country’s most senior journalists and winner of several national / international awards, including the Pride of Performance Award from the President of Pakistan.
Apart from journalists, there are reports of targeting other important social figures. There are also reports circulating on social media about Maqbool Ahmed, the Protocol Officer of the Press Information Department, that his WhatsApp has also been hacked by unknown persons.
Undoubtedly, increase in hacking incidents of messaging accounts of prominent personalities, including journalsits, in the past week has resulted in worrying social media users across the county. According to media reports, most of the elements involved in financial frauds belong to South Punjab and remote areas where they are expanding their criminal activities while avoiding the clutches of the law. These anti-social elements are using different tactics to gain access to the contact list of innocent citizens, to ask for financial help, and many people send money to help their loved ones, assuming that they really are in trouble.
Recently, WhatsApp has become an indispensable mode of communication for billions of people around the globe. However, with its increasing popularity, the platform has also become a prime target for hackers and cybercriminals. The past year has seen a significant surge in WhatsApp hacking incidents, leaving users vulnerable to data theft, financial losses, and identity compromise.
The hacking of WhatsApp is not just limited to Pakistan, but global figures and celebrities around the world are facing similar threats on the internet. In a warning email to customers, HSBC Bank (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) has recently warned that certain WhatsApp groups wrongly impersonating the bank are invloved in fninacial fraud in a neighbouring country.
According to western media reports, international hackers are allegedly targeting the WhatsApp accounts of government ministers and officials around the world. In a hacking attempt, victims receive an email from the hacker impersonating a government or bank official, enticing the recipient to click on a QR code that gives the hacker access to their WhatsApp account.
The Modus Operandi of Whatsapp Hackers
Hackers employ various tactics to gain unauthorized access to WhatsApp accounts. Some common methods include:
Phishing scams: Hackers send fake messages or emails that appear to be from WhatsApp, asking users to provide sensitive information such as passwords or verification codes.
Malware attacks: Malicious software is used to gain access to a user’s device, allowing hackers to steal WhatsApp data and conversations.
Social engineering: Hackers manipulate users into divulging sensitive information or performing certain actions that compromise their account security.
SIM swapping: Hackers trick mobile carriers into transferring a user’s phone number to a new SIM card, allowing them to receive verification codes and gain access to the WhatsApp account.
The consequences of such hacking can be severe and far-reaching. Some potential risks include: Data Theft to access sensitive information such as personal conversations, photos, and videos, Financial Loss as hackers can use stolen information to commit financial fraud or extort money from victims, Identity Compromise to impersonate victims and commit identity theft and most importantly, Reputation Damage as the stolen information can be misused to damage a victim’s reputation or relationships with others.
As a precautionary measure, WhatsApp users should not share their 6-digit registration code, which comes via SMS or email, with anyone, enable two-step verification, allow only your trustworthynear ones to see your profile photo, if someone you know asks you for money, call them to verify, and do not open any unnecessary and unsafe links, as well as scanning QR code from unknown sources is also becoming risky these days. There is also a need to tighten privacy on other social media platforms including Facebook.