A new flaw has been reportedly discovered in WhatsApp that lets hackers suspend the account of any user using their mobile number. The hackers do not need any information about the user except his/her mobile number. According to a new report, the hacker can only get your account blocked but cannot gain access to it. This flaw has been discovered by security researchers Luis Marquez Carpintero and Ernesto Canales Perena. WhatsApp ‘Vaccines for All’ Stickers Pack Introduced in Collaboration With WHO.

Hackers first download WhatsApp on their mobile and try to login using a victim's mobile number. Then WhatsApp immediately sends a two-factor authentication code to the victim's device which prevents the hacker to gain access to the account, but the hacker keeps repeating the process and due to several failed attempts to login, WhatsApp disables login for 12 hours. This forbids both the hacker and the victim to log in to the WhatsApp account for 12 hours.

The next part is where it gets interesting. Pretending to be a victim, the hacker will then email WhatsApp asking it to deactivate or suspend the WhatsApp account linked to the mobile number claiming that his/her phone has been lost or stolen. WhatsApp without cross-checking from the victim will deactivate his/her WhatsApp account. If the process is repeated, then WhatsApp can permanently lock the account. As of now, it is unclear if this process is being used to exploit WhatsApp users. However, a WhatsApp spokesperson reportedly said that providing an email address in the two-step verification process helps the customer service team assist users if they ever encounter this type of problem.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 13, 2021 12:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).