WhatsApp web version discovered a security flaw, Google has a group invitation link + personal information

2021-01-16T09:49:43.655Z

An independent cyber security researcher discovered that about 1,500 instant messaging applications (App) WhatsApp group invitation links were indexed into Google search results. After people master them, even if they are not grouped

Instant International

Written by: Xu Yi'an

2021-01-16 17:35

The last update date: 2021-01-16 17:38

An independent cyber security researcher discovered that about 1,500 instant messaging applications (App) WhatsApp group invitation links were indexed into Google search results.

Once people master them, they can easily join even if they are not invited by the group.

When he was writing the news, there were more than 1,500 group invitation links in Google search results.

The Indian media New Delhi Television (NDTV) website Gadgets 360 reported on the 11th that Google has also indexed more than 5,000 WhatsApp user profiles, and group members’ phone numbers and avatars can also be searched on Google.

WhatsApp is basically a mobile phone application, but some people use the web or desktop version on their computers.

Rajshekhar Rajaharia, an independent cyber security researcher, posted on Twitter on January 15 and shared some screenshots, and told the Indian Asia News Service (IANS) that if users use the web version of Whatsapp on their laptops and office personal computers, their mobile phone numbers will be lost. Indexed by Google search.

Your @WhatsApp groups may not be as secure as you think they are. WhatsApp Group Chat Invite Links, User Profiles Made Public Again on @Google Again.

Story-https://t.co/GK2KrCtm8J#Infosec #Privacy #Whatsapp #infosecurity #CyberSecurity #GDPR #DataSecurity #dataprotection pic.twitter.com/7PvLYuM9xD

— Rajshekhar Rajaharia (@rajaharia) January 10, 2021

A WhatsApp spokesperson said earlier this week that Google has been asked not to index invitation links and that users are also urged not to publish links on publicly accessible sites.

Google has deleted the indexed WhatsApp invitation link.

A WhatsApp spokesperson pointed out in a statement that since March 2020, WhatsApp will include the noindex tag on all Deep Link pages. According to Google, these links will not be indexed.

Rajshekhar Rajaharia said that joining noindex is not an appropriate solution, and those links appeared again a few months later.

He also pointed out that the user's mobile phone numbers and messages were again indexed by Google search results.

↓↓↓

15 Jan 2021, If you are using @WhatsApp Web, your Mobile Number and Messages are being index by @Google again. Don't know why WhatsApp is still not monitoring their website and google. This is 3rd time.#Infosec #Privacy # infosecurity #GDPR #Whatsapp #Privacy #Policy #Google pic.twitter.com/D6o1emxDgv

— Rajshekhar Rajaharia (@rajaharia) January 15, 2021

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