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Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp experience global outage

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A massive worldwide global outage has affected millions of people trying to access Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook users in affected areas have received the message: “Something went wrong. We’re working on it and we’ll get it fixed as soon as we can.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram has been displaying a 5xx server error message, with the message: “Sorry, this page isn’t available.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The outage was first reported in Australia and New Zealand at about 2am on Tuesday morning, according to the downdetector.com site.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the outage continues, it is </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/facebook-whatsapp-instagram-hit-by-global-outage-why-facebook-isnt-working/news-story/ba143d13bfd1eed83c7cd5e1394aa2e9" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">costing Facebook</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> $160 million every hour the three sites are down, according to NetBlocks. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">We’re aware that some people are having trouble accessing our apps and products. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, and we apologize for any inconvenience.</p> — Andy Stone (@andymstone) <a href="https://twitter.com/andymstone/status/1445058088436908045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re aware that some people are having trouble accessing our apps and products,” Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said on Twitter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, and we apologise for any inconvenience.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the three popular sites down, Twitter poked fun at its rivals on their dedicated UK account.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hello literally everyone,” they wrote.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">hello literally everyone</p> — Twitter (@Twitter) <a href="https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1445078208190291973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The outage has been blamed on a problem with the Domain Name System (DNS), which allows computers to connect to the web server and website users are looking for.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adam Leon Smith of the Chartered Institute for IT, </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/04/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-hit-by-outage" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">: “The outage is caused by changes made to the Facebook network infrastructure. Many of the recent high-profile outages have been caused by similar network-level events.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is reported by unidentified Facebook sources on Reddit that the network changes have also prevented engineers from remotely connecting to resolve the issues, delaying resolution.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Was just on phone with someone who works for FB who described employees unable to enter buildings this morning to begin to evaluate extent of outage because their badges weren’t working to access doors.</p> — Sheera Frenkel (@sheeraf) <a href="https://twitter.com/sheeraf/status/1445099150316503057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Journalist Sheera Frankel said the outage was so severe that Facebook employees have been unable to enter company buildings because their passes were not working.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Facebook, Instagram</span></em></p>

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App used by 1.5 billion has "crucial" flaw

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A surprising flaw in the popular app WhatsApp allows hackers to crash the app by sending a simple text message.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The flaw is so serious that the text can force users to reinstall WhatsApp to fix the issue and group chats impacted by the issue disappear forever.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cyber experts at security firm Check Point discovered the flaw, saying that one text can crash multiple phones in one go. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The impact of this vulnerability is potentially tremendous, since WhatsApp is the main communication service for many people,” Check Point researchers </span><a href="https://research.checkpoint.com/2019/breakingapp-whatsapp-crash-data-loss-bug/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">explained</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Thus, the bug compromises the availability of the app which is a crucial for our daily activities.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With as many as 65 billion messages being sent via WhatsApp every day, bugs in the system can impact massive numbers of people.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once you’ve received the message in a group chat, the app crashes for everyone in the chat and will require you to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the app has been reinstalled, you will be unable to return to your group chat or access the chat history.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When a user sends a message inside a group chat, the app examines the data to discover who sent the message.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Check Point have since created a tool that accesses this data and edits it, replacing it with a message that causes the app to crash.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The bug will crash the app and it will continue to crash even after we reopen WhatsApp, resulting in a crash loop,” Check Point explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Moreover, the user will not be able to return to the group, and all the data that was written and shared in the group is now gone for good.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The group cannot be restored after the crash has happened and will have to be deleted in order to stop the crash.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Naturally, WhatsApp have already fixed the bug, but you’ll need to update the app to make sure you’re safe. If the app is updated to the latest version already, it’s impossible for your phone to be attacked by this bug.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4i4kG1FH5o/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4i4kG1FH5o/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Avoid being added to a group chat with people outside of your inner circle. 👯‍♀ Now you can have more control over who can add you to a group. To enable this setting, update to the latest version of #WhatsApp! https://blog.whatsapp.com/10000661/New-Privacy-Settings-for-Groups</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/whatsapp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> WhatsApp</a> (@whatsapp) on Nov 6, 2019 at 5:02pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“WhatsApp greatly values the work of the technology community to help us maintain strong security for our users globally,” said WhatsApp software engineer Ehren Kret in a statement sent to </span><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/10569563/whatsapp-bug-crash-app-reinstall-text/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sun</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Thanks to the responsible submission from Check Point to our bug bounty program, we quickly resolved this issue for all WhatsApp apps in mid-September.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have also recently added new controls to prevent people from being added to unwanted groups to avoid communication with untrusted parties altogether.”</span></p>

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Facebook unveils “empathetic” new logo that’s designed to promote “clarity”

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook has taken the need to rehabilitate its image quite literally and unveiled a new corporate logo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company, which also owns other platforms such as Instagram and encrypted messaging site WhatsApp has released a new logo that it can use to differentiate itself from the social media site that shares the same name.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832331/body-facebook.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7728c133ea8f44fc92f9f8fd49f36b30" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company is planning to introduce clearer Facebook branding on the other two popular social media channels it owns and use the new block lettering logo to show the difference. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook’s chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio announced the reasoning behind the change. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The new branding was designed for clarity, and uses custom typography and capitalisation to create visual distinction between the company and app,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People should know which companies make the products they use … this brand change is a way to better communicate our ownership structure to the people and businesses who use our services to connect, share, build community and grow their audiences,” Mr Lucio said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a separate statement to </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-04/facebook-adds-more-corporate-branding-to-instagram-whatsapp"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bloomberg</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, he said that it was due to “emphatic” millennials.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“All the research that we’ve had from Generation Z and millennials was all very emphatic as to they need to know where their brands come from,” Mr Lucio said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We needed to be more transparent with our users in showcasing that everything is coming from the same company.”</span></p>

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The WhatsApp bug that lets hackers access your files

<p>WhatApp users are being urged to update their app to avoid a security bug that compromises user chat history and files.</p> <p>The hack allows hackers to take over the app when a user opens a malicious GIF image as an attachment or through other channels.</p> <p>When the user opens their WhatsApp Gallery, the bug in the malicious GIF will be triggered and the hacker will have access to their WhatsApp messages, files, photos, videos and more.</p> <p>Tech blog <em><a href="https://awakened1712.github.io/hacking/hacking-whatsapp-gif-rce/">Awakened</a> </em>reported that devices running Android 8.1 and 9.0 were vulnerable to the attack, while versions of the operating system below 8.0 were not.</p> <p>In response to the report, WhatsApp’s owner Facebook released a vulnerability patch in the messaging app’s new 2.19.244 version.</p> <p>“This issue was reported and quickly addressed,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement. “We have no reason to believe this affected any users, though of course we are always working to provide the latest security features to our users.”</p> <p>To update WhatsApp to the latest version, iPhone users should go to the App Store, select updates and then tap update next to the messenger icon.</p> <p>Android users should go to the Play Store, tap on menu and then select “My apps &amp; games” before picking WhatsApp and clicking on the Update button.</p>

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Warning: WhatsApp voicemail scam gives hackers access to your account

<p>A worrying new WhatsApp hack allows cyber criminals to access victim’s accounts via their voicemail inbox.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2018/10/08/attackers-use-voicemail-hack-to-steal-whatsapp-accounts/"><strong><em style="font-weight: inherit;"><u>Naked Security</u></em></strong></a>, a blog run by British security company Sophos, scammers are attempting the attacks at night so they can take advantage of the app’s six-digit verification code.</p> <p>The attacks have become so prevalent that Israel’s National Cyber Security Authority issued a nationwide warning.</p> <p>Hackers start the scam by installing WhatsApp on their own phone using a legitimate user’s phone number.</p> <p>To verify the login attempt, WhatsApp sends a six-digit verification code via text message to the victim’s telephone.</p> <p>However, hackers are carrying out this scam at night, so victims are most likely sleeping rather than checking their phones.</p> <p>WhatsApp then allows the hacker to send the six-digit verification code via phone call with an automated message.</p> <p>As the victim is not on their phone, the message ideally goes to voicemail.</p> <p>The cyber criminal then exploits a security flaw in many telecommunication networks which allows customers to use a generic phone number to call and retrieve their voicemails.</p> <p>For many mobile phone owners, only a four-digit pin is required to access their voicemails – which if they haven’t changed is commonly 0000 or 1234 by default.</p> <p>Hackers will then enter the password and gain access to the victim’s voicemail inbox, allowing them to retrieve the WhatsApp message containing the six-digit code.</p> <p>Once the scammer enters the code into their own phone, they have complete access to the victim’s WhatsApp account.</p> <p>To avoid being hacked, it is recommended that users turn on two-factor authentication on their account, adding an extra layer of security.</p> <p>“Using application-based 2FA ... mitigates a lot of the risk, because these mobile authentication apps don’t rely on communications tied to phone numbers,” Sophos researchers explained. </p> <p>This can be done by navigating to Settings in WhatsApp, then tapping ‘Account’.</p> <p>Users must then press on ‘Two-step verification’ and tap ‘Enable’.</p> <p>Experts also encourage users to have a strong PIN on their voicemail inbox.</p> <p>Have you encountered this WhatsApp scam? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

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WhatsApp scam that sends fake messages from you

<p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">A new bug discovered within popular messaging app WhatsApp allows hackers to infiltrate and message your contacts.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Experts have warned that when the bug is combined with existing glitches, it allows hackers to send messages to your friends and family.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The bug, first identified by Check Point Research cybersecurity analysts, was created by vulnerabilities between WhatsApp for mobile and for web, where users must sync in order to send messages via desktop.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">On their website, Check Point said the bug could “allow threat actors to intercept and manipulate messages sent in both private and group conversations, giving attackers immense power to create and spread misinformation from what appear to be trusted sources.”</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">According to Check Point, hackers can manipulate users' messages and change the identity of a sender in the group conversation, even if that person is not a member of the group.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">Hackers can also send a private message to a group chat member, but when the targeted individual responds, everyone in the conversation can see it.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The bug will enable hackers to impersonate users and spread fake news.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">The researchers who discovered the bug, believe it is of the “utmost importance” that WhatsApp fixes the problem immediately, however, the Facebook-owned company has “acknowledged” the flaws but said it was a part of the app’s “design framework”.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">In a recent blog post, WhatsApp wrote: “WhatsApp cares deeply about your safety.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">“We encourage you to think before sharing messages that were forwarded.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; color: black;">“As a reminder, you can report spam or block a contact in one tap and can always reach out to WhatsApp directly for help.”</span></p>

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How to get WhatsApp on your iPad

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. </strong></em></p> <p>WhatsApp is a fabulous app allowing you to communicate with loved ones, anywhere in the world for free (as long as you have an active internet connection!).</p> <p>We've had many clients ask whether they can use WhatsApp on their iPads, so that they can message using a larger screen. </p> <p>WhatsApp is not available on iPads and Tablets, but there is a solution.</p> <p>WzPad is an app you can download onto your iPad and use Whatsapp!</p> <p>WzPad mirrors your WhatsApp conversations and messages as they are on your smartphone. It may not work perfectly as it is not the actual WhatsApp application, but it's a great alternative for those looking to use WhatsApp on a larger device.</p> <p><strong>Download the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/wzpad-for-whatsapp-for-ipad/id1157181090?mt=8" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WzPad</span></a> app from the app store</strong></p> <p>1. Tap on the App Store on your iPad</p> <p>2. Tap on the Search icon, and in the Search field, type in WzPad</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/7af598f1-ef7c-46a7-ac5e-a30612068b63.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 2048px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: 241px;"/></p> <p>3. Results will appear, tap on GET (You may be prompted to enter your Apple ID Password or TouchID)</p> <p>4. Once WzPad has been downloaded onto your device, open the app.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/c1d33dfa-3852-4d80-bb7b-0f487b01bbb6.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 1536px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p>A QR Code will appear and you will need to use your smartphone to scan the code which appears on screen.</p> <p><strong>To scan the QR code</strong></p> <p>5. Open the Whatsapp app on your smartphone, and tap Settings</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/97251c55-0763-4eea-89e0-de896ff8fc6a.jpeg" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 1242px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p>6. Tap on WhatsApp Web/Desktop</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/97251c55-0763-4eea-89e0-de896ff8fc6a.jpeg" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 1242px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p>7. Tap Scan QR Code, and hold your smartphone in front of the QR Code which appears on your iPad</p> <p>Voila! Enjoy using WhatsApp on your iPad!</p>

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Have you been caught up in this WhatsApp scam?

<p>WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, which unfortunately makes it a target by online scammers and hackers – and that’s exactly what happened to one million Android users, who were tricked into downloading a fake app convincingly disguised as WhatsApp.</p> <p>An app called “Update WhatsApp” was available on the Google Play store until very recently, but by the time it was removed, a million people had already downloaded the malicious “update”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Fake WhatsApp Update on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GooglePlay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GooglePlay</a> . Under the "same" dev name. Incl. a Unicode whitespace. One Million downloads<a href="https://t.co/qjqxd6n6HP">https://t.co/qjqxd6n6HP</a> <a href="https://t.co/dmvTksqpuP">pic.twitter.com/dmvTksqpuP</a></p> — Nikolaos Chrysaidos (@virqdroid) <a href="https://twitter.com/virqdroid/status/926437790140772362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>The app is made to appear even more official thanks to its developer name, which is the same as the real WhatsApp, simply with an invisible space at the end.</p> <p>The fraudulent app has raised serious questions about Google’s management of its Play store, especially after one Twitter user pointed out just how many fakes are out there.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Google do a terrible job with the Play store curation. This is a small number of the WhatsApp apps - all bar one fake/malware. <a href="https://t.co/D92VIdQf0v">pic.twitter.com/D92VIdQf0v</a></p> — Kevin Beaumont 🤨 (@GossiTheDog) <a href="https://twitter.com/GossiTheDog/status/927170015534739456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>“These things are not getting enough scrutiny,” cyber security expert Stephen Ridley told <a href="https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/evbakk/fake-whatsapp-android-app-1-million-downloads" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Motherboard</span></strong></a>. “Why wouldn’t an app that has a huge number of downloads receive a little additional security scrutiny?”</p> <p>Fortunately, the people who downloaded the fake app weren’t tricked into having their data stolen, but rather bombarded with pop-up ads in order to generate advertising revenue. But it’s a reminder of just how convincing these scams can be – and next time, it could be your personal details at risk.</p> <p><span>Do you or family and friends use WhatsApp and got caught out by this scam? Tell us in the comments below. </span></p>

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How to protect your private data from WhatsApp

<p>Facebook's move to harvest the data of WhatsApp users has angered some of its billion users.</p> <p>The social media giant owns WhatsApp, the world's most popular messaging service, but has left it to mostly operate independently since purchasing the company two years ago.</p> <p>Until now.</p> <p>WhatsApp announced that it would start sending phone numbers and analytics data to Facebook. This is Facebook's first real attempt to make money from the company. The data will be used to better target ads at Facebook users, and suggest Facebook friends as new contacts on WhatsApp.</p> <p>"By connecting your phone number with Facebook's systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them," the company wrote.</p> <p>Facebook have not yet shared the full list of data they will harvest.</p> <p>This contrasts strongly with what co-founder Jan Koum wrote about WhatsApp and privacy when Facebook purchased the company in 2014.</p> <p>"We don't know your birthday. We don't know your home address. We don't know where you work. We don't know your likes, what you search for on the internet or collect your GPS location. None of that data has ever been collected and stored by WhatsApp, and we really have no plans to change that."</p> <p>Existing users can opt out within the next 30 days (see below for instructions.)</p> <p>The backlash was immediate.</p> <p>"Tech companies are steadily teaching the public not to believe the promises they make," wrote Mike Dudas, co-founder of Button.</p> <p>Telegram, a rival messaging app known for its focus on security (Isis militants use it), quickly made use of the backlash, promising to never share user's data with third parties.</p> <p>"Unlike other services, when we say we don't share your data with third parties, we mean it," the company tweeted.</p> <p>But angry privacy advocates are doing more than just writing tweets: some are filing legal complaints.</p> <p>The Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC) filed a complaint when Facebook bought the company in 2014, and as a result the US Federal Trade Commission warned the companies that they must keep their privacy promises intact. Facebook is required to obtain user's consent before changing any settings that affect the privacy of their information.</p> <p>It is unclear whether this constitutes a clear violation of those promises - but EPIC are definitely filing a complaint.</p> <p>"WhatsApp obtained one billion users by promising that it would protect user privacy. Both Facebook and WhatsApp made very public promises that the companies would maintain a separation. Those were the key selling points of the deal," EPIC lawyer Claire Gartland told Motherboard.</p> <p>"WhatsApp users should be shocked and upset."</p> <p><strong>So how do I opt out?</strong></p> <p>For the first 30 days WhatsApp users are able to opt out of the data sharing.</p> <p>In the first instance: they should see an unfamiliar screen when they open the app after an update, asking them to agree to new terms of service.</p> <p>There is no obvious button for "disagree". Instead, users should tap "Read more about the key updates to our Terms and Privacy Policy." near the bottom of their screen. This will bring up a screen with the key updates to the policy - and a way to opt out.</p> <p><img width="500" height="780" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/28987/whatsapp-in-text_500x780.jpg" alt="Whatsapp -in -text" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>It will look like this on Android. Users on iOS will see a toggle box instead of a checkmark. Uncheck or untoggle the box, then press "Agree". The software will then ask you if you're sure - tap "don't share".</p> <p>If you missed all this on your first login and still want to opt out, you can.</p> <p>Just go to the settings menu, then the account menu, then find the checkbox (or switch) marked "Share my account info". Untick it.</p> <p>Do you use Facebook on your mobile or WhatsApp? Are you concerned about your privacy? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.</p> <p><em>Written by Henry Cooke. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/01/8-facebook-messager-tips/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 tips to help you master Facebook Messenger</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/02/whatsapp-virus-scam-you-need-to-know-about/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The WhatsApp scam you need to know about</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2015/11/how-to-make-cheap-calls-overseas/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">5 tips for making affordable calls overseas</span></em></strong></a></p>

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The WhatsApp scam you need to know about

<p>Millions of WhatsApp users are being warned about a scam email circulating on the popular app that will install a virus on phones.</p> <p>Cybercriminals have designed a WhatsApp specific virus that affects both iPhones and Android devices. The scam comes in the form of an email and looks like a legitimate source. If you open the email though, a virus will infiltrate your phone.</p> <p>Don’t fall for sneaky subject lines like “new voice message,” “an audio memo was missed,” “a brief audio recording has been delivered” and “a short vocal recording was obtained”.</p> <p>If you use WhatsApp, remember that all voice memos, audio memos, recordings and notifications will be received in the app only.</p> <p>“Cybercriminals are becoming more and more like marketers, trying to use creative subject lines to have unsuspecting emails be clicked and opened to spread malware,” said Fatih Orhan, a director of Comodo Antispam Labs.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/myths-about-facebook/">3 myths about Facebook busted</a></span></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/great-tip-for-using-youtube/">YouTube tips you didn’t know</a></span></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/computer-shortcuts/">10 computer shortcuts to save you time</a></span></em></strong></p>

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