FBI warns of new vulnerabilities in popular messaging apps
The FBI has issued an urgent warning for users of the most popular mobile messaging apps. The American agency recommends immediately changing settings in WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Signal, according to Forbes, citing the latest report from the federal bureau.
The warning is related to the discovery of new security vulnerabilities in popular communication apps. According to cybersecurity experts, current default settings may not provide enough protection against increasingly advanced attack methods.
Issues with security mechanisms
During ongoing security tests, it was discovered that the built-in data protection mechanisms in messaging apps do not always function as expected. Particularly concerning is the fact that even enabled end-to-end encryption may not protect against all types of attacks. FBI experts emphasise that data stored locally on users' devices are particularly vulnerable.
In response to the latest reports, Microsoft has already made changes to its Recall system, which is now better at detecting sensitive data such as credit card numbers, passwords, and identification numbers. The company assures users that if such information is detected, it will neither be recorded nor stored.
Recommendations for users
Federal experts recommend a series of steps that users should take immediately. Special attention should be paid to two-step verification and regular password changes.
Experts cited by Forbes emphasise the particularly troubling fact that many people still use outdated versions of communication applications. This poses a serious threat not only to individual users but also to companies whose employees use these apps for work purposes.
There is also a strong emphasis on the issue of backups and storing conversation history. According to the report, many users are unaware that even encrypted messages can be vulnerable to attacks when creating backups in the cloud or on local devices.
The FBI report also contains recommendations for hardware and operating system manufacturers. Microsoft, Apple, and Google are urged to collaborate more closely on security standards and respond more quickly to discovered security vulnerabilities.
According to the latest data, the scale of the problem is significant - in the last quarter, there has been an over 150% increase in attempts to attack messenger users. Particularly worrying is the growing trend of attacks targeting not only private individuals but also business and institutional accounts.
