Protecting users from spyware
At WhatsApp, we remain focused on protecting your personal communication with the best security technology possible. That starts with end-to-end encryption, which secures your messages and calls as they are sent from one device to another so they cannot be read by WhatsApp or anyone else in between.
In addition, our teams are constantly working to stay ahead of threats, including from commercial spyware companies trying to deliver malware to people’s phones. These attackers look for vulnerabilities in apps or the mobile phone operating system or try to trick users into clicking on malicious links or downloading malware – all to gain unauthorized access that can damage your phone, steal your information and put your privacy and security at risk.
We continuously strive to disrupt such attacks and build new layers of protection into WhatsApp. This work includes relying on security reports, automated signaling, and deep collaboration with academics and industry peers. We routinely inform the security community of advisories related to this work and have taken legal action to hold commercial spyware companies accountable.
If we believe that your device has come under threat, we may notify you about it directly via a WhatsApp chat. The chat will include a system message at the top of the chat that verifies that this is the official account of WhatsApp Support, and there will be a blue checkmark next to WhatsApp Support at the top of the chat. You may also contact us in-app by clicking here.
For journalists, human rights defenders, academics, and other members of civil society, we strongly recommend working with trusted experts to counter the risk of such attacks. WhatsApp has been grateful to learn from groups in civil society over the years, including The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, to understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures of these bad actors as well as help connect civil society to additional resources on how to protect themselves. You can learn more about The Citizen Lab and steps you can take after a spyware attack on their website here. The independent nonprofit Access Now also operates a Digital Security Helpline that provides urgent technical assistance to members of civil society, including activists, human rights defenders, journalists, and other at-risk communities.
We recommend all users take advantage of WhatsApp’s Privacy Checkup, which provides step-by-step guidance to help strengthen the security of your account and customize your privacy settings. You might also consider taking advantage of similar tools made available by other commonly used apps.
Protecting your personal communication is at the core of our mission at WhatsApp and we remain committed to our ongoing efforts to protect your privacy.
