Many Israeli citizens reported disturbing video and audio calls on WhatsApp from unknown numbers, which immediately disconnected.
The Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) estimates that these calls originate from groups of Hamas supporters abroad, who are attempting to scare and harass Israelis, and potentially gain control of their WhatsApp accounts.
Are Hamas supporters trying to hack Israeli WhatsApp accounts?
The INCD emphasizes that these calls themselves do not cause any damage to the phone or enable unauthorized access. However, it strongly advises silencing calls from unknown numbers within the application's settings menu, specifically the privacy menu.
Additionally, the INCD recommends blocking and reporting the suspicious numbers, refraining from clicking on any links or files sent, avoiding the disclosure of personal details, and not responding to any inquiries made by these callers.
Furthermore, the INCD promptly reports the identified suspicious phone numbers to Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, and urges the public to inform their family members about this phenomenon.