Meta announced Strict Account Settings on WhatsApp to protect high-risk users by locking accounts to the most restrictive options and blocking attachments and media from people not in a user’s contacts. The company is also rolling out a Rust-based “wamedia” library and additional memory-safety hardening across WhatsApp to reduce exposure to sophisticated spyware. #WhatsApp #Rust
Keypoints
- Strict Account Settings lock certain account options to the most restrictive choices.
- The feature blocks attachments and media from people not in a user’s contacts.
- It targets high-risk users like journalists and public-facing figures to mitigate advanced spyware threats.
- The setting is available via Settings > Privacy > Advanced and is rolling out gradually.
- WhatsApp is adopting Rust and other hardening measures (wamedia, CFI, hardened allocators) to address memory safety issues.
Read More: https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/whatsapp-rolls-out-lockdown-style.html