Connect with us

News

WhatsApp Hacker Is Selling Over 150 Million MENA Numbers

The database contains nearly 500 million phone numbers from users worldwide, and is being sold on a community hacking forum.

Published

on

whatsapp hacker is selling over 150 million mena numbers

According to Cybernews, a research-based online publication, a hacker is selling the phone numbers of nearly 500 million WhatsApp users on the Dark Web — a figure which includes over 150 million from across the MENA region.

The data from the breach was posted by a user on a hacking community forum, and Cybernews has sampled the data and confirmed that it’s legitimate.

whatsapp stolen numbers dark web

The reported database contains recent (2022) WhatsApp user information from 84 countries, with millions of phone numbers listed from the USA, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Egypt, and many more.

Of particular interest to readers of Tech Magazine will be that nearly 7 million of the hacked numbers belong to UAE residents, just under 2 million are from Lebanon, and a massive 28.8 million are owned by users from Saudi Arabia.

whatsapp hacker stolen numbers

We don’t know what the MENA phone numbers are valued at, but it’s reported that USA user information is being sold for $7,000, while UK and German datasets have $2,500 and $2,000 price tags, respectively.

Also Read: Netskope Predicts Future Middle East Cybersecurity Trends

After digging a little further into the details of the hack, Cybernews stated that the numbers harvested belong to active WhatsApp users and the data was obtained by scraping, which is thought to violate the app’s Terms of Service.

“In this age, we all leave a sizable digital footprint, and tech giants like Meta should take all precautions and means to safeguard that data,” says Mantas Sasnauskas, Head of the Cybernews Research Team.

Leaked phone numbers often fetch high prices on the Dark Web, as they can be used for marketing purposes, fraud and impersonation.

Advertisement

📢 Get Exclusive Monthly Articles, Updates & Tech Tips Right In Your Inbox!

JOIN 17K+ SUBSCRIBERS

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Samsung Galaxy Ring Wearable Will Launch In Eight Sizes

A recent Korean report reveals the model numbers of the new health tracking device, as well as details of its key features.

Published

on

samsung galaxy ring wearable will launch in eight sizes

The global launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring is hotly anticipated, with details about the next-gen wearable gradually emerging since the company’s teaser announcement back in January. Now, a report has also unveiled the model numbers for the device, suggesting it will be available in eight different sizes.

While Samsung has yet to divulge detailed specs and features of the Galaxy Ring, it’s likely to feature an array of health and sleep monitoring functionalities, while boasting a battery life of up to nine days on a single charge.

As per a Galaxy Club report, there are currently eight confirmed variants of the Galaxy Ring: SM-Q500, SM-Q501, SM-Q502, SM-Q505, SM-Q506, SM-Q507, SM-Q508, and SM-Q509.

However, the mystery shrouding two absent model numbers persists, leaving speculation as to whether they signify additional sizes or if Samsung plans to unveil a later ninth variant of the ring, as previously hinted. There’s conjecture that these models may correspond to US ring sizes 5 and above, commencing with the SMQ500, with subsequent numbers potentially indicating larger ring sizes, possibly reaching up to size 13, aligning with model number SM-Q509.

Also Read: Adobe Reveals New AI Tools That Will Wow Photoshop Novices

Recent Korean reports have shed light on how Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division (MX) collaborated with the Home Appliance department to integrate Samsung Food with the Galaxy Ring: Tailored for daily activity tracking, the Galaxy Ring, when paired with Samsung Food and an intelligent Samsung refrigerator featuring AI vision, delivers personalized dietary guidance based on calorie intake and BMI.

Samsung is banking on the user-friendly interface and high durability of the ring to redefine the healthcare wearables landscape. Meanwhile, Apple is also making strides in the development of a smart ring, aimed at monitoring users’ health biometrics discreetly when worn on the finger. According to the Electronic Times report, Apple has been closely monitoring market interest in this more inconspicuous alternative to a traditional watch.

Continue Reading

#Trending