No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaCosta Rican WhatsApp Numbers Published on Dark Web

Costa Rican WhatsApp Numbers Published on Dark Web

Approximately 1.4 million Costa Rican WhatsApp phone numbers were published on the dark web, as informed by the specialized portal Cybernews and confirmed by the cybersecurity firm ESET.

The portal also confirmed that 487 million user numbers of this messaging platform were published in a well-known hacking forum.

The numbers published are from Costa Rica, the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, among others. In total, 84 countries were affected by one of the largest WhatsApp hacks known so far, according to experts.

The criminals have allegedly set up an account on the Russian Telegram platform for “interested parties” to contact each other. Undercover investigators analyzed a sample received and confirmed that these contacts correspond to numbers associated with active WhatsApp accounts, the report states.

Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, denies any data leakage, as there is no evidence of it on its servers.

Camilo Gutiérrez, head of the ESET Latin America Research Lab, explained that WhatsApp numbers are used by cybercriminals to distribute hoaxes or to launch phishing attacks (scams to steal data) and thus obtain user information.

“We have seen cases where fraudsters tried to steal the verification code to hijack WhatsApp accounts. They send fake support messages or messages that suddenly pop up from unknown numbers requesting the unused six-digit code; when these are delivered, the cybercriminals take control of the accounts,” the expert detailed.

Previously, as ESET recalled, there have been reports of 1.5 billion Facebook and 500 million LinkedIn users’ data leaks.

Trending Now

Costa Rica National Stadium Renamed INS Estadio in Historic Deal

The National Stadium, a key landmark in La Sabana Metropolitan Park, now carries a new title after a sponsorship agreement. Yesterday, the venue officially...

Nicaragua Alleges Costa Rican Police Tried to Detain Player

Tensions ran high at the National Stadium here in Costa Rica last night when police officers entered the Nicaraguan team's locker room moments before...

Heavy Rains in Costa Rica Cause Severe Flooding

Costa Rica faces another tough week as persistent heavy rains pound our country, leading to widespread flooding, landslides, and disrupted lives. This October, the...

Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Makes Forbes’ Best Places to Visit in 2026

Forbes has spotlighted Guanacaste as one of the top six spots for travelers in 2026. The list also includes Nikko in Japan, Kona in...

Costa Rica Sport Fishing Industry Pushes 2026 Presidential Candidates

Leaders from Costa Rica’s tourism and sport fishing industry gathered last week to push for stronger marine policies, pressing presidential hopefuls to commit to...

Trump Authorizes CIA Ops in Venezuela as US Weighs Land Strikes

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday authorized CIA operations against Venezuela and said he was considering carrying out ground attacks against drug cartels...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica