Russian hackers are trying to trick Signal and WhatsApp users into revealing verification codes and PINs - Center for Countering Disinformation
Kyiv • UNN
The enemy is attacking military personnel and officials using social engineering methods to obtain PIN codes. Attackers are using fake support chatbots.
Russian hackers, linked to the Kremlin, have launched a large-scale campaign to steal access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts, targeting military personnel, officials, diplomats, and journalists. This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) with reference to the Dutch special services, writes UNN.
Russian hackers, linked to the Russian authorities, have launched a large-scale campaign to steal access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts. According to the Dutch special services (AIVD and MIVD), the enemy's targets are military personnel, officials, diplomats, and journalists.
It is reported that the attackers do not break the encryption system itself, but use social engineering methods to trick users into providing verification codes and PINs.
The most common tactic of the enemy is the use of fake chatbots disguised as "Signal support service." Hackers also abuse the "linked devices" function, which allows them to covertly read correspondence and view the victim's chat groups.
Signal officially confirmed these attacks, emphasizing that its infrastructure remains reliable, and account compromise occurs only due to the carelessness of the users themselves.
The CCD appealed to users to be vigilant: "No messenger support service will ask for your verification code or PIN via chat. Regularly check the list of connected devices in the application settings. If you notice 'duplicates' of contacts or unknown participants in groups, immediately notify the administrator and change the security settings."