Personal data of 3.2 million Belgians is for sale on the dark web. Check that your settings are set to “Nobody”.

3.2 million Belgian phone numbers and user IDs stolen via WhatsApp are circulating on the dark web. Cybercriminals have gained access to a database containing sensitive information about Belgian WhatsApp users, Michele Rignases of the Center for Cybersecurity tells De Morgen.

This includes phone numbers, user data and profile photos, among other things. If cybercriminals get hold of this information, they can misuse it for things like smishing (SMS phishing) or vishing (voice phishing). Check your settings to see if you are involved and “be cautious of unknown numbers,” reports the Center for Cyber ​​​​​​Safety.

Scrape

Ethical hacker Inti De Ceukelaire explains to De Morgen that this is not about hacking, as no passwords have been leaked that could allow malicious parties to log into your account. De Ceukelaire describes what it is: Scrapewhere large amounts of data are collected. “Someone may have saved all Belgian numbers in their phone book – which takes five minutes – and then checked which of these numbers are linked to WhatsApp,” says De Ceukelaire.

Check your settings

This affects no less than 3.2 million Belgian WhatsApp users. “The question is not whether you are there, but to what extent you are there,” says De Ceukelaire. To check this, check your settings. Open WhatsApp and click Institutions. There you can see who can see your data under “Last seen,” “Online,” and “Profile photo.” “It’s best to change this to ‘nobody’ or contacts only,” says De Ceuckelaire. If your privacy settings are set to “everyone,” you can assume your data is for sale.

It is important to be critical and attentive to any unknown number. For example, is someone calling you from a financial institution or a utility company like Fluvius? Be sure to check if this is actually the case; if in doubt, it is best to contact the company yourself. Be cautious of calls from unknown numbers and never give out personal information over the phone.