Bezos, WhatsApp and the Saudi Prince Explained

Reports of this extraordinary alleged hack first circulated in January 2020. While online scams are nothing new, this case differed from the rest, given the high profile cast list. The incident involved Amazon boss Jeff Bezos (the world's richest man), and a Saudi Crown Prince (also reasonably well-off). It appeared that there was credible evidence that a hack on Bezos' phone originated from a message sent to him by Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in May of 2018. Sensitive data was extracted from Bezos' phone, and it's even suspected this could have led to personal revelations that ultimately caused Bezos to undergo a rather costly divorce.

According to the report, Mohammed Bin Salman sent Bezos a video file via the messaging app on the 1 May 2018. This secretly infected his device and left it exposed. During this time, the sensitive data was taken. Security experts are apparently confident enough that this message was the source of the hack – so much so that investigators are apparently looking to raise the issue with Saudi Arabian officials directly.

Among that data, it's alleged, were private messages about an affair Bezos was having. This information was later published by The National Enquirer. While the company that owns the paper, American Media Inc, maintains that it came to this information through legitimate means, forensic experts investigating the leak have shown serious concerns about the personal data exposed, and the potential use of it against Bezos.

It's interesting to note that last year, Bezos's own head of security wrote in the Daily Beast about his theory that Saudi Arabia was behind the hack. The article noted the Saudi Prince's friendship with David Pecker, the CEO of AMI.

Saudi officials insist that the allegations are baseless, although the accusations are bound to put more strain on the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia, following on from the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

“Recent media reports that suggest the Kingdom is behind a hacking of Mr. Jeff Bezos' phone are absurd. We call for an investigation on these claims so that we can have all the facts out.” Saudi Embassy tweet

Saudi Arabia is under increasing scrutiny for its alleged digital espionage efforts. Only last month, we reported that the US government charged two former Twitter employees for spying for the Saudi Arabia government.

How Can I Avoid a WhatsApp Virus?

The Saudi-Bezos connection shows that it certainly is possible to deliver a virus over WhatsApp. But, these were pretty extraordinary circumstances, involving a high-profile target and an alleged state-level attack. So, enough about Bezos and his royal connections. What about you and the security of your phone?

While instances of WhatsApp viruses are rare, there's still a few steps you can take to make sure you're less likely to fall victim to such bugs:

• Check apps are legitimate – Like WhatsApp Gold showed, its easy for hackers to gain access to your phone when they masquerade as a legitimate app. Only download apps from the official store for your device, and check that the company on the store page looks authentic. Check the reviews too.
• Don't open suspicious files – Don't let your curiosity get the better of you if you think a file seems a bit odd. This is especially true if you receive it from someone you don't know.
• Install mobile anti-virus software – A good anti-virus app can nip viruses in the bud, should one slip through.
• Consider an iPhone – A bit of a drastic step for Android loyalists, perhaps, but Apple's devices are much less susceptible to viruses thanks to the closed nature of their operating system.
• Keep WhatsApp up to date – Software patches are constantly being released to stay ahead of potential viruses. Make sure your software is up to date.