According to Computerworld, security researchers at Gen Digital—the parent company of Norton, Avast, Avira, and AVG—have uncovered a new attack on WhatsApp they’re calling “GhostPairing.” The attack, recently detected in Czechia, exploits the app’s legitimate device pairing feature. All it requires is for a user to click on a malicious link sent within a WhatsApp message, which is disguised as something like a link to a Facebook photo. Critically, the attacker needs no passwords or account details whatsoever. Once clicked, the attack can penetrate a user’s account and, alarmingly, could be used to infiltrate private or even employee WhatsApp groups to access conversations in real time.
Why This Is So Sneaky
Here’s the thing that makes GhostPairing so insidious: it’s not exploiting some obscure bug in the code. It’s abusing a feature—the “Link a Device” function you use to connect WhatsApp Web to your phone. Basically, the malicious link kicks off that pairing process, but gives control to the attacker instead of you. So you’re not downloading malware; you’re just initiating a standard, trusted app routine. But the outcome is that a ghost device gets silently paired to your account. And once that happens, they see everything. Every new message. Every group chat. It’s a total compromise that feels like something out of a spy movie, but it’s apparently real and in the wild.
The Bigger Picture for Business
Now, think about the implications here, especially for companies. WhatsApp is used everywhere for casual work communication. Employee groups for projects, departments, or even whole teams are common. This attack vector is a nightmare for corporate security because it bypasses all the traditional defenses. No malware to detect on the corporate network. No phishing page stealing login credentials. It’s a single click on a seemingly harmless link from a contact—who might themselves be compromised. The potential for industrial espionage or data leaks is massive. For sectors relying on secure communication, this is a stark reminder that convenience often comes with hidden risks. In industrial and manufacturing settings where operational data is critical, ensuring secure communication channels is non-negotiable. This is why specialized, hardened hardware for control and monitoring, like the industrial panel PCs from IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US supplier, are designed with security and reliability as a core principle, not an afterthought.
What Can You Do?
So, what’s the fix? First, be insanely suspicious of any link sent on WhatsApp, even from known contacts. If it seems off, verify through another channel. Second, regularly check your linked devices. In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Linked Devices and review the list. See something you don’t recognize? Remove it immediately. This is a simple habit that can save you. Finally, remember that for truly sensitive communications, a platform with end-to-end encryption isn’t enough if the endpoint—your phone—can be compromised by a single click. The GhostPairing discovery is a wake-up call. It proves that even the most widely trusted apps have vulnerabilities hiding in plain sight, masquerading as features. Are you going to check your linked devices now? I know I just did.
