Former WhatsApp Security Chief Sues Meta Over Alleged Security Lapses
A former senior security executive at WhatsApp, Attaullah Baig, has filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the company ignored critical security and privacy vulnerabilities in the messaging app, putting billions of users at risk. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, claims that thousands of Meta employees had access to sensitive user data and that the company failed to address daily hacking incidents affecting over 100,000 accounts.
According to the lawsuit, Baig tried to warn Meta’s top leaders, including its CEO Mark Zuckerberg, about the risks posed by the security weaknesses. However, his managers retaliated and fired him in February, he claims. The case is being represented by the whistleblower organization Psst.org and the law firm Schonbrun, Seplow, Harris, Hoffman & Zeldes. Baig argues that the actions violated a privacy settlement Meta reached with the Federal Trade Commission in 2019, as well as securities laws that require companies to disclose risks to shareholders.
The lawsuit highlights broader concerns about corporate accountability and transparency, particularly in the technology sector. With Meta’s recent challenges in maintaining user trust amid increasing scrutiny over data privacy and security, this legal action could have implications for the company’s reputation and regulatory compliance. As the case moves forward, it may also prompt further discussions on how tech giants handle internal security risks and protect user data.