The U.S. government has recently banned WhatsApp from devices used by staff in the U.S. House of Representatives, citing possible security threats. A memo highlighted concerns regarding WhatsApp’s transparency about user data protection, lack of stored data encryption, and associated security risks.
Instead of WhatsApp, the memo advises staff to use alternative apps like Signal, iMessage, FaceTime, and Microsoft Teams for communication.
This decision comes in the wake of Meta’s announcement in January about a foiled hacking attempt targeting around 90 WhatsApp users, including journalists. This breach was linked to Paragon Solutions, an Israeli company known for spyware, recently acquired by AE Industrial Partners, a U.S.-based private equity firm.
A report from May suggested that several governments, including those of Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore, are likely clients of Paragon. Meta has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding these developments.
