A government agency has issued an important alert for WhatsApp users in India.
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has warned about a new cyber threat targeting WhatsApp accounts.
This warning is related to a high-risk method called GhostPairing, which hackers are using to take control of WhatsApp accounts without the user’s knowledge.
How Hackers Take Over WhatsApp Accounts
In this method, cyber criminals misuse WhatsApp’s device linking feature.
By doing this, they can link another device to your WhatsApp account without proper authentication.
Once access is gained, hackers can read your chats in real time and even leak personal or sensitive information.
This makes the threat extremely serious.
The Message That Starts the Hack
The attack usually begins with a simple message from a known contact.
The message may say something like, “Hi, check this photo,” and comes with a link that looks genuine, often showing a Facebook-like preview.
When users click on the link, they are asked to enter their phone number and complete a verification step.
According to CERT-In, this is where hackers hijack the WhatsApp account.
Mistake WhatsApp Users Must Avoid
If someone sends you a message and asks you to enter or verify your mobile number through a link, be careful.
Do not enter your number on such pages, even if the message appears to come from a trusted contact.
Verifying your number on unknown links can give hackers access to your WhatsApp account.
Check This Important WhatsApp Setting
WhatsApp provides a safety feature called Linked Devices in its settings.
This allows you to see all devices where your account is currently logged in.
If you notice any unknown device, you can log out immediately.
This feature is available on both Android and iOS and can help protect your account from misuse.
