WhatsApp users in Gedling borough are being urged to urgently update the app on their phones immediately after it was targeted by hackers.
The WhatsApp security bug allows the app to be attacked by hackers just leaving a missed call, and until the new update was released there was nothing an affected user could do.
Once attacked, the phone would be compromised without the user knowing it.
Media reports are claiming the technology to use the attack appears to have been created by an Israeli company that sells technology exploits to governments, allowing them to spy on citizens.
An update for WhatsApp is now available for all major platforms that fixes the bug, and security experts are urging users to ensure that their phones are up to date as soon as they can.
The release notes for the new version of the app make no mention of the bug or the fix that will be installed. On iOS, they only mentioned stickers, but WhatsApp’s owner Facebook confirmed that the latest update fixes the bug.
As such, it is important to check that your phone has the right version, which will show alongside the update.
On iOS, it should be version 2.19.51, and on Android it needs to be 2.19.134 or later.
