UAE warns of ‘zero-day’ WhatsApp attack that hacks phones with one call

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Cybersecurity Council has issued a warning against a dangerous “zero-day” cyberattack that allows hackers to compromise smartphones through a single WhatsApp call from an unknown number, even without the user answering.

The council explained that a zero-day attack exploits an undiscovered vulnerability before developers can fix it. In the case of WhatsApp, one call from an unfamiliar number could be enough to give cybercriminals access to a user’s personal photos, conversations, and account fingerprints.

To protect themselves, users were advised to take six preventive measures: block calls from unknown numbers, avoid clicking on suspicious links, use trusted security applications, rely only on official information sources, keep WhatsApp updated, and enable two-step verification.

The council had earlier warned that such attacks can activate the flaw instantly upon contact, with victims often unaware that their devices have been compromised. It urged all users, particularly government and critical-sector employees, to regularly update their security settings, enable multi-factor authentication, and avoid using personal devices for highly sensitive communications.

Fake websites may look real, but they are built to steal your data, money, and identity. Awareness is the first line of defence by knowing how to act is the next. Verify if a link is safe before clicking by visiting the UAE Cybersecurity Council’s official portal: staysafe.csc.gov.ae/home.