WhatsApp Desktop auto-download let hackers in without a click — victims share the fix
seanwbren · x · 2026-11-14
A trader was hacked via WhatsApp Desktop: a burner number sent a payload, and auto-download — enabled by a recent update — delivered it with no click needed. The attacker gained full PC access, waited days, tested a $10 withdrawal to stay undetected, then struck.
The reposter urges users to disable Media auto-download in WhatsApp Desktop under Settings > Storage and data (screenshot shows Photos, Audio, Video, Documents all off). Described as a rare, targeted attack by a sophisticated actor, but the setting check is worth doing for everyone.
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