Ex-Meta Security Head Sues, Claims Of Retaliation After Reporting Issues Over WhatsApp Data

An ex-Meta employee sued the company, alleging that WhatsApp has systemic cybersecurity failures that could compromise user privacy, according to CNBC. WhatsApp’s former head of security, Attaullah Baig, claims Meta retaliated against him after he reported security issues to company leaders, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The lawsuit claims that after joining WhatsApp in 2021, Baig identified security flaws that violated federal securities laws and Meta’s obligations under a 2020 FTC privacy settlement. He further alleged that about 1,500 WhatsApp engineers had unrestricted access to sensitive user data without proper monitoring or audit trails. Meta disputed Baig’s claims, saying he was dismissed for poor performance, not retaliation. Baig’s attorneys allege he faced repeated criticism and received negative performance feedback within three days of his initial cybersecurity disclosure.