The U.S. government has prohibited WhatsApp on devices used by staff in the House of Representatives, citing security concerns, according to a memo obtained by Reuters.
Reuters reports that the House Office of Cybersecurity labeled WhatsApp a high-risk app due to unclear data protection practices, lack of encryption for stored data, and other potential security vulnerabilities.
Recommended Secure Messaging Alternatives
The memo recommends alternatives such as Signal, iMessage, FaceTime, and Microsoft Teams.
In January, Meta reported uncovering and blocking a hacking operation that targeted roughly 90 WhatsApp users, including journalists. The attack was linked to Paragon Solutions, an Israeli spyware company acquired in December by U.S.-based private equity firm AE Industrial Partners.
A May research report suggested that governments in Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore are likely clients of Paragon.
Meta has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Read the original article on:Techcrunch
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