Deleted post from Google cache: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:samgran...
WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
11–20 of 83 posts
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#12Though the post is deleted now I suppose this is true. I have a dual-mode GSM/CDMA phone and WhatsApp fails when it switches between modes. The app stays the same so it's clearly polling the ESN (CDMA side) and IMEI (GSM side) to validate. When I switch between active sides of the device, WhatsApp consistently requires a re-validation.
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#13Nothing Found Sorry, the post you are looking for is not available. Maybe you want to perform a search?
Fixed, sorry!!
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#14Does the deleted post mean that it contained false info?
No, I made 2 noobish mistakes.
1) I edited the default wordpress post, dated from May 2) I set the time for the future without noticing (wrong timezone!!)
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#15"Dial *#06# for IMEI" Does anyone know any other neat tricks like this?
Sure. On iPhones, try 3001#12345# . On Android it often depends on the specific model you have. Here are some for the Samsung S3: #06# Show IMEI number #0 # LCD Test Menu # #4636# #* user statistics and Phone Info #0011# Displays status information for the GSM #1234# View SW Version PDA, CSC, MODEM #12580 369# SW & HW Info #197328640# Service Mode #32489# (Ciphering Info) #232337# Bluetooth Address #232331# Bluetooth…
##7780##* Factory reset
This seems a bit dangerous. Does it require any kind of password?
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#16If you installed WhatsApp on an Android device for example, your password is likely to be an inverse of your phones IMEI number with an MD5 encryption thrown on top of it (without salt).
How does OP know this? Was there a leak of "passwords" or did he find this through trial & error?
Edit: Just found out that's what it says even on the Wikipedia entry about WhatsApp[1].
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#17An "Ask HN" that's somewhat related:
Is Facebook doing something similar on Android? I have left an application update pending for weeks because Facebook requires access to Phone Calls, which allows the application to "determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like."
This does not sit well with me.
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#18Un-official What's App API for PHP and Python: https://github.com/venomous0x/WhatsAPI
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#19skype and viber also need your imei to function. the skype example is particularly interesting since it's complementary to the username + password we already have.
Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password
#20From your post, it seems like you didn't contact WhatsApp before publishing this post. What was your reasoning for going public with this vulnerability before at least trying to contact them and giving them a chance to resolve the issue?