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WhatsApp has become a fundamental aspect of our everyday lives. It has changed the way we stay in touch with friends family and colleagues. It has become one of the most popularly used messaging applications in todays society permitting users to send text messages pictures videos documents and to make calls including voice calls and video calls without delay. The convenience of remaining in touch at any time and anywhere has made WhatsApp a more reliable connection source over traditional means of communication such as phone calls or emails. How can WhatsApp Web put your personal chats and files at risk? WhatsApp has become an amazing way to maintain interpersonal relationships share important news updates. However WhatsApp is no longer limited to personal usage; it is also used for professional work. Employees working in large offices often use WhatsApp Web on their desktops or laptops. Why has the government issued a warning against using WhatsApp Web at work? Recently the Indian government has issued a stern warning against this. In an advisory issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) this time the government has asked individuals to refrain from using WhatsApp Web on their computers or laptops while at workplace as doing so could expose sensitive information to their employer. Media reports suggest that the advisory warns that using WhatsApp Web may give administrators and IT teams access to personally identifiable chats and private files. This access could take the form of screen-monitoring malware or hijacked browser features. The advisory comes as the government’s Information Security Awareness (ISEA) team has highlighted the risks associated with using messaging platforms on corporate devices. As a result many companies now view WhatsApp Web as a potential security threat—a possible entry point for phishing attacks and malware that could compromise entire networks. The ISEA stated that many organizations are now considering WhatsApp Web to be a feasible security risk and a possible entry point for malware and phishing attacks which could expose their entire network. The advisory warns that using office Wi-Fi may allow companies limited access to an employees personal phones exposing private data. Furthermore the advisory also warned of the dangers of using WhatsApp on company devices listing risks such as potential data leakage if a laptop is compromised and the risk of interception on unsecured Wi-Fi. What precautions should employees take if they must use WhatsApp at work? What If You Have To Use WhatsApp On An Office Laptop? For employees that have to use WhatsApp Web Government recommends: Log out before leaving your desk: Always log out of WhatsApp Web when you walk away from your workspace. Be cautious of links and attachments: Don’t click on links or open attachments from contacts you do not know or do not trust. Follow company rules: Know and follow your organization’s policies about using personal apps and devices for work purposes.