WhatsApp bug let hackers hijack accounts with a video call, claim reports
LONDON: A bug in Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service allowed hackers to take over users' applications when they answered an incoming video call, technology websites ZDnet and The Register reported on Wednesday.
The vulnerability, which affected WhatsApp applications on Apple and Android smartphones, was discovered in late August and was fixed by Facebook in early October, according to a technical disclosure report posted online.
Facebook did not respond to requests for immediate comment. It is unclear whether the bug was ever used in an attack before it was fixed.
"This is a big deal," Travis Ormandy, a researcher at Google Project Zero which discovered the bug, said on Twitter.
"Just ++answering a call from an attacker could completely compromise WhatsApp." Facebook has suffered a string of security-related problems in the last year.
The company last week disclosed its worst-ever security breach affecting nearly 50 million accounts.
Courtesy: timesofindia
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Pregnant woman critically injured in brick attack by husband in Telangana; CCTV footage surfaces
Ranga Reddy: A 22-year-old pregnant woman was brutally assaulted by her husband on a public road in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy district. The entire incident, which occurred in Kondapur, was captured on CCTV and the footage began circulating on social media on Monday.
The accused, 32-year-old Mohammed Basrat, allegedly attacked his wife Shabana Parveen during a family dispute. The video shows Basrat approaching her on a highway, pushing her to the ground and repeatedly hitting her on the head with a cement brick. Despite the presence of passers-by, no one intervened.
The woman was later rushed to a hospital in critical condition. Police arrived at the scene following the incident. Basrat fled on his motorcycle after the assault. A case has been registered and investigation is underway. However, no arrest had been confirmed at the time of reporting.
Hyderabad: Man killed after argument with friend’s brother
In a separate incident in Hyderabad’s Malkajgiri area, a 29-year-old man was killed following an argument on Sunday. The deceased, identified as Akash Singh, was at ZTC Ground with friends when a confrontation broke out between him and a man named Imtiyaz, the brother of one of his friends. Imtiyaz allegedly struck Akash on the head with a brick. Akash succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Police are investigating the matter.
