Anyone Can Now Track You Through WhatsApp & Signal
Someone with just your phone number can now track when you're home, when you're asleep, and when you leave for work.
A free tool went public on GitHub that turns WhatsApp and Signal into a tracking device.
Here's how it works:
The attacker sends invisible reactions to messages that don't exist.
Your phone responds automatically.
There's no notification, pop-up, nothing's visible.
There is one sign your battery will start draining 15 to 18% an hour while it's idle.
By measuring how fast your phone responds, they can tell if your screen is on, if you're on wi-fi or mobile data, and if you're moving.
Over time, they can build a profile, like when you're home, when you're asleep, and when you're out.
The researchers reported this to meta 14 months ago and heard back. Signal never responded at all.
As of today, it's still exploitable and there's almost nothing you can do about it.