WhatsApp Rolls Out Lockdown-Style Security Mode to Protect Targeted Users From Spyware
29.01.2026
7561
Meta is rolling out Strict Account Settings on WhatsApp and using Rust-based media code to protect journalists and high-risk users from spyware attack
WhatsApp's New Lockdown Mode: Spyware Defense for High-Risk Users
Meta just dropped a security nuke on WhatsApp. They're rolling out 'Strict Account Settings' — basically lockdown mode for journalists, activists, and anyone in the crosshairs of state-sponsored spyware. This isn't your grandma's privacy toggle; it's a full-blown digital fortress.
The move comes after years of high-profile attacks using tools like Pegasus and Predator. Remember when journalists' phones got owned just by receiving a WhatsApp call? Yeah, Meta's finally building walls that can actually stop that sh*t.
Here's the tech stack they're deploying: Rust-based media processing (because memory safety actually matters), end-to-end encrypted backups (finally), and code locking that makes your WhatsApp harder to breach than Fort Knox.
- • Strict Account Settings - Automatically enabled for high-risk users, manually available for everyone
- • Rust-powered media handling - Memory-safe code to prevent zero-day exploits
- • Enhanced encryption - End-to-end encrypted backups and stronger key management
- • Code lockdown - Restricted attack surface for spyware injection
The timing isn't accidental. With elections heating up globally and digital mercenaries selling spyware to anyone with a budget, Meta's basically saying: 'We see your zero-click exploits and raise you Rust-based architecture.'
This is about protecting people who are targeted simply because of who they are or what they do. We're building defenses that match the sophistication of the threats.
For regular users? You'll get the option to enable strict mode in settings. For high-risk targets? It auto-enables. Because nothing says 'I value your life' like preemptive security defaults.
Bottom line: WhatsApp's playing defense at nation-state level. The spyware arms race just got a major countermeasure. Your move, NSO Group.
#Meta#zero-click attacks#malware#cybersecurity#spyware
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