"Silent WhatsApp Hijacking" without hacking or leaving a trace
08.01.2026 11:20:38 1390
The Center for Forecasting Criminal Threats and Public Security Risks of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounting of the Prosecutor General's Office warns of a new cyberthreat related to the WhatsApp messenger.
According to international sources (https://infobezopasnost.ru/blog/news/kiberataka-ghostpairing-pozvolyaet-moshennikam-poluchit-polnyj-dostup-k-whatsapp-bez-vzloma-parolya/, https://www.securitylab.ru/news/567291.php, https://securitymedia.org/news/list/ataka-ghostpairing-pozvolyaet-nezametno-zakhvatyvat-akkaunty-whatsapp.html), cybercriminals have launched a new criminal scheme to hijack WhatsApp accounts. This method, dubbed "Ghost Pairing," doesn't require password cracking, SIM card swapping, or complex technical attacks. Your WhatsApp is legally infiltrated by activating the linking feature for additional devices.
The scenario is simple: a message disguised as "Facebook" or "WhatsApp" is sent, redirecting the user to fake pages that visually replicate the Facebook or WhatsApp interface.
To confirm access to content, the fake website prompts the user to enter a phone number and a verification code. After this, the attacker is automatically added to the victim's account as a trusted device, gaining full access to WhatsApp (reading messages, viewing media files, viewing contacts, sending messages, and accessing the photo gallery). The phone continues to function normally, raising no suspicion.
The only way to detect a WhatsApp hijacking is to manually check the "Linked Devices" section. Any unknown connection indicates a compromise and should be immediately deleted.
Be vigilant and practice cybersecurity:
- Be wary of unknown incoming messages, calls, and notifications;
- Do not enter the WhatsApp code on third-party websites; requests for codes outside the app are always a scam;
- Use two-factor authentication;
- Regularly check your account activity;
- Use security software.
The cost of one mistake is complete control over your personal correspondence.
COMMITTEE ON LEGAL STATISTICS AND SPECIAL ACCOUNTS
OF THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN