Facebook Blames Apple For Jeff Bezos' Phone Hack, Says WhatsApp Encryption Is Unhackable
Facebook, however, doesn¡¯t really feel WhatsApp is the one to be blamed and it feels that its actually the smartphone (in this case, an Apple iPhone) that is responsible for this. This was according to Facebook¡¯s VP of Global Affairs and Communications, Nick Clegg. According to him, WhatsApp couldn¡¯t have done it because WhatsApp chats are end-to-end encrypted.
Last week, we got to witness some really crazy news -- Jeff Bezos¡¯s smartphone was allegedly hacked with a video file shared by Saudi Arabia¡¯s crown prince.
The video file infiltrated Jeff Bezos' phone, according to digital forensic analysis, and send unusually large amounts of data to an online server, as per reports.
Reuters
The video was shared on Facebook-acquired WhatsApp -- one of the most popular messaging app used across the world. According to investigators, this infiltration was similar to the attacks using Pegasus software from Israel-based NSO Group that hacked over 1400 journalists and human rights activists for personal data.
Facebook, however, doesn¡¯t really feel WhatsApp is the one to be blamed and it feels that its actually the smartphone (in this case, an Apple iPhone) that is responsible for this. This was according to Facebook¡¯s VP of Global Affairs and Communications, Nick Clegg. He said, in a conversation with BBC that WhatsApp couldn¡¯t have done it because WhatsApp chats are end-to-end encrypted.
He even compared the malicious file to the ones you get in an email, emphasising the fact that it only comes to life when one opens it.
Reuters
He further stated that something must have affected the phone¡¯s operating system instead, being confident of the fact that end to end encryption is impenetrable.
Messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted by default, which basically means only the sender and recipient can view the messages. While this would have normally been true, a piece of NSO Group software breached into WhatsApp's video calling system by installing the spyware through missed calls to snoop on specific users.
WhatsApp has seen various security breaches in its chats, regardless of the end-to-end encryption. Many bug-hunters keep finding vulnerabilities in the texting app for handsome bounties. So it is surprising to believe whether it truly is un-hackable.
Apple hasn¡¯t commented on this statement officially yet.
