When you share a link on WhatsApp, your preview and other important information are also transmitted to the other person. This information can be used for hacking and tracking.

This WhatsApp feature lets others know your IP address.

WhatsApp offers many safety features, but one feature can expose your important information to the other person. WhatsApp is used to send photos, text, and links. When you share a link, WhatsApp activates a short preview to help you understand what the link is about. This feature then sends your important information to the other person.

What information does a link preview convey?

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In fact, when you insert a link into your message box, WhatsApp creates a "Get Request" to the website containing the link. This allows the app to load the preview image and other information. The problem with this is that the sender's IP address is also transmitted. This means that when you send a link to someone in a message, your IP address is also transmitted.

What problems can arise with IP addresses?

When your IP address is transmitted in a message, it also sends information about which version of WhatsApp you're using and your operating system. This is problematic because your device can be tracked using your IP address. Hackers can also exploit this to launch targeted attacks using open ports or DDoS. Similarly, the version number can reveal any security flaws that may be exploited for hacking.

How to avoid this?

Link previews are enabled by default on WhatsApp. Therefore, you'll need to disable them manually. To do this, go to the app's settings, go to the Privacy section, and tap Advanced. Here, you'll find the setting to disable link previews. If you disable this option, link previews will no longer be displayed, and only the URL and link text will appear in messages.