Telegram founder Pavel Durov warned people to "stay away" from messaging freeware Whatsapp if they do not want their devices to be infiltrated by hackers.
As per the Independent, Pavel Durov referenced a security flaw revealed by WhatsApp last week that allowed a hacker to override a person's phone by sending a malicious video to their phone number.
WhatsApp Security Flaws
Despite several instances of security concerns associated with WhatsApp, the instant messaging services have been very open with their users about which issues are currently plaguing the application's privacy and security.
Every new feature and product that the developers create takes into account the security implications for users who depend on WhatsApp to have private conversations securely.
With this, the cross-platform instant messaging service updates its security advisories on a regular basis to keep users informed of which the people behind WhatsApp have addressed security issues.
WhatsApp issued a security bulletin in September highlighting two discovered vulnerabilities, CVE-2022-36934 and CVE-2022-27492.
According to the Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCERT), the first remote code flaw allows hackers to exploit the system vulnerabilities during a video call to a targeted user and take full control of their WhatsApp application.
Meanwhile, CVE-2022-27492 enables an attacker to fully utilize the system vulnerabilities by sending a specifically designed video file to a particular user and compelling them to play it.
Users of impacted WhatsApp versions are advised to update to the most recent versions as soon as possible. Users should also enable automatic updates.
The Telegram founder cited these patched WhatsApp vulnerabilities when claiming that the Meta-owned messaging service is not safe to use or protected from attacks.
Pavel Durov dragged WhatsApp even further by mentioning on Telegram that installing WhatsApp makes all data on your device vulnerable to cyber security breaches.
The same report from the Independent tells us that the tech tycoon adds weight to the claim by saying that it might not matter if you are the richest man on the planet; WhatsApp will make every app on your device accessible to attackers.
Is WhatsApp Not Secure?
Because of its built-in end-to-end encryption, the WhatsApp platform, like Telegram, is widely regarded as a secure messaging platform. WhatsApp claims on its official website that this feature ensures users that their messages and calls are secure and that no one in between, not even WhatsApp, has access to critical information.
According to Business Insider, WhatsApp data is always encrypted, which is a much more advanced level of security than what you can find in apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter. Because of this, even if hackers intercept a message, they cannot decode it.
Clearly, WhatsApp has a much larger user base than Durov's Telegram. Based on ThinkImpact data, WhatsApp has more than 2 billion users, while Telegram has 700 million. Despite this, Durov clarified that his statement was not intended to promote his app but rather to serve as a public safety warning.
