Can Someone Hack My WhatsApp?

What it usually means, and when the issue is not only WhatsApp

Photo by Amanz on Unsplash

A lot of people ask a simple question:

Can someone hack my WhatsApp?

The answer is yes, a WhatsApp account can be compromised.

But in real situations, the word “hack” can mean many different things.

Sometimes someone got your verification code.

Sometimes an unknown device was linked to your account.

Sometimes you clicked a fake link.

Sometimes the issue is not only WhatsApp, but the phone or PC used to access it.

That difference matters because the response depends on what actually happened.

A WhatsApp issue does not always mean WhatsApp’s encryption was broken or that the platform itself was breached. WhatsApp says end-to-end encryption keeps personal messages and calls between the sender and recipient, and that no one outside the chat, not even WhatsApp, can read or listen to them.

But encryption does not protect every part of the user’s situation.

If someone tricks you into sharing a code, links another device, or gets malware running on your PC, the risk is no longer only about encrypted messages.

Before deciding what to do, it helps to identify whether the issue is the account, a linked device, the phone number, the user’s device, or the file that was opened.

“WhatsApp kena hack” can mean different things

For everyday users, a WhatsApp compromise usually falls into a few common patterns.

The first is a verification code scam.

This happens when someone asks for the six-digit WhatsApp code sent to your phone. They may pretend to be a friend, group admin, support staff, delivery person, or someone from a familiar organization.

If you give them the code, they may try to register your WhatsApp account on another device.

In that case, the attacker did not need to break WhatsApp. They used the normal registration process, but tricked the user into helping them.

The second is an unknown linked device.

WhatsApp allows users to link devices such as WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop. This is normal if the linked device is yours. It becomes suspicious when you see a device you do not recognize.

WhatsApp’s Help Center says users can review linked devices and log out of devices they do not recognize.

If you are unsure, check:

WhatsApp > Settings > Linked Devices

Remove anything you do not recognize.

The third is phishing or social engineering.

This usually starts with a message, link, or file that looks ordinary. It may appear to be a delivery update, support message, voucher, job form, verification page, invoice, or document.

The goal is to make the user do something risky, such as entering personal details, sharing a verification code, or opening a suspicious file.

Sometimes the message comes from someone you know because their account was already compromised. That makes the message feel more believable.

So “it came from my friend” is not enough proof that the link or file is safe.

The fourth is phone number takeover or SIM swap.

This is less common, but still possible. If someone gains control of your phone number, they may be able to receive SMS codes meant for you. That can affect WhatsApp because WhatsApp registration is tied to your phone number.

A warning sign may be sudden loss of mobile signal or unexpected telco notifications about SIM changes.

In that situation, the mobile provider needs to be contacted quickly through an official channel.

The fifth is malware on the phone or PC.

This is where the issue becomes broader.

If malware is running on your device, the problem may not be limited to WhatsApp. The attacker may be interested in the device itself, other accounts used on the device, files, browser sessions, or anything visible or typed there.

This is why some WhatsApp-related cases should not be treated as only a WhatsApp problem.

The recent VBS-style case is a good example

The recent VBS-style malware case is useful because it shows how WhatsApp can be used as the delivery channel, while the actual risk happens on the PC.

On 22 June 2026, MyCERT issued an alert about a malware campaign delivering malicious Visual Basic Script files, or .vbs files, through WhatsApp. MyCERT said the campaign targeted individuals using WhatsApp Desktop or WhatsApp Web on Microsoft Windows.

The idea is simple.

A user receives a file through WhatsApp.

The file looks like a normal document, such as an invoice, financial statement, debt notice, or administrative file.

But the file is actually a script.

If the user opens it on a Windows PC, the script may run.

At that point, the concern is not only:

Is my WhatsApp account compromised?

The bigger question becomes:

Is my PC compromised?

MyCERT described examples of file names used in the campaign, including invoice, statement, reconciliation, and debt-themed lures. It also said that opening the .vbs file on a Windows machine begins the infection process.

Kaspersky also reported a June 2026 campaign distributing malicious VBScript files through WhatsApp direct messages. It said the campaign affected users across multiple countries and territories, with the highest number of observed victims in Malaysia.

Some filenames were localized into different languages, including Malay examples such as “Penyata bank.vbs” and “Sila semak bil anda.vbs”.

Microsoft had also reported a WhatsApp-delivered VBS malware campaign earlier in 2026. Microsoft said the campaign used WhatsApp messages to deliver malicious VBS files, and that once executed, the scripts initiated a multi-stage infection chain designed to establish persistence and enable remote access.

That does not mean every WhatsApp file is dangerous.

It also does not mean every suspicious file definitely stole all passwords.

But if a suspicious script file has already been opened on a Windows PC, it is reasonable to treat the PC as potentially compromised until checked properly.

That is the important point.

The WhatsApp message may be only the starting point.

The real issue may be the Windows machine.

Do not assume the wrong problem

This is where many people get confused.

If someone loses access to WhatsApp after sharing a code, the problem may be account takeover.

If an unknown device appears under Linked Devices, the problem may be an unauthorized session.

If someone entered details on a fake page, the problem may be phishing.

If a suspicious .vbs file was opened on a PC, the problem may be malware.

If the phone number suddenly stops working, the problem may involve the SIM or telco account.

All of these may be described as “WhatsApp kena hack”, but they are not the same issue.

The response should match the situation.

If we treat everything as “WhatsApp was hacked”, we may miss the real risk.

For example, checking Linked Devices is useful for account access.

But if malware is running on the PC, removing a linked device alone is not enough.

Enabling or changing the WhatsApp two-step verification PIN is useful for account protection.

But if the same infected PC is used to log in to email, banking, work systems, or cloud storage, the wider device risk still needs attention.

What to do if you think your WhatsApp account is compromised

Start with the account.

Check Linked Devices and remove anything you do not recognize.

Enable two-step verification. WhatsApp says two-step verification lets users add a PIN and optionally add an email address that can be used for reset purposes.

Do not share your WhatsApp verification code or two-step verification PIN with anyone.

If you lost access to your account, follow WhatsApp’s compromised account recovery guidance. WhatsApp’s Help Center tells users to log back in with their phone number and follow the recovery process.

Then warn close contacts.

Tell them not to trust unusual messages, payment requests, or files sent from your account during the affected period.

This matters because once an account is abused, the attacker may use the victim’s identity to reach other people.

What to do if you opened a suspicious file on PC

This is the scenario that needs extra caution.

If you opened a suspicious .vbs, .vbe, .exe, .bat, .cmd, .js, .ps1, or similar file from WhatsApp on a Windows PC, treat the device as unsafe until checked.

Kaspersky advised users to be cautious with unexpected WhatsApp attachments, even when they appear to come from known contacts, and specifically warned against opening script or executable file types unless their legitimacy has been independently verified.

A practical response would be:

1. Disconnect the PC from the internet.
2. Do not log in to important accounts from that PC.
3. Use another clean device to change passwords for important accounts used on the affected PC.
4. Check WhatsApp Linked Devices from your phone.
5. Enable WhatsApp two-step verification.
6. Scan and clean the PC properly.
7. If it is a work device, inform IT immediately.
8. If you are unsure, get help from someone who can inspect the machine properly.

This is not about panic.

It is about separating account compromise from device compromise.

If the issue is only WhatsApp access, you secure the WhatsApp account.

If malware may have run on the PC, you handle the PC as part of the incident.

Where high-end spyware fits

There are rare cases involving spyware, zero-days, or platform-level exploitation.

These cases are real, but they are not the normal explanation for most everyday WhatsApp incidents.

For most users, the more likely causes are still verification code scams, phishing links, unknown linked devices, suspicious files, malware, or phone number takeover.

So it is useful to know sophisticated attacks exist, but not useful to assume every strange WhatsApp issue is spyware.

Look at what happened, then respond based on the evidence.

Final takeaway

“Can someone hack my WhatsApp?” is a fair question.

But “WhatsApp kena hack” is too broad to explain what actually happened.

It may mean account takeover, an unknown linked device, phishing, malware on the PC, a phone number problem, or in rare cases, more sophisticated exploitation.

The important thing is not to guess from the word “hack”.

If the issue is account access, secure the WhatsApp account.

If a suspicious file was opened on a PC, treat the PC as potentially compromised until checked properly.

The word “hack” may be broad, but the response should be specific.

References

• WhatsApp Help Center, About end-to-end encryption.
• WhatsApp Help Center, How to check devices linked to your account and unlink a device.
• WhatsApp Help Center, About two-step verification.
• WhatsApp Help Center, How to recover a compromised account.
• WhatsApp Security Advisories.
• MyCERT, Malware Campaign Delivering Malicious VBScript via WhatsApp Desktop, 22 June 2026.
• Microsoft Security Blog, WhatsApp malware campaign delivers VBScript and MSI backdoors, 31 March 2026.
• Kaspersky Securelist, A VBScript campaign distributed through WhatsApp deploying RMM software, 22 June 2026.