WhatsApp's former security boss claims reporting infosec failings led to ousting

WhatsApp’s former head of security, Attaullah Baig, has sued Meta, alleging retaliation after he reported systemic cybersecurity and compliance failures—including unrestricted access to user data by about 1,500 engineers, lack of data inventory and monitoring, inability to detect breaches, and large-scale account takeover exposure—potentially violating the FTC’s 2020 privacy order and SEC rules. The report recounts internal escalations to executives, a subsequent SEC complaint, and Baig’s termination in February 2025, alongside Meta’s denial. It also references WhatsApp’s history of regulatory scrutiny and notes a recently patched zero-day, without providing technical details.