Tag: WhatsApp | Page 3

‘Whatsapp Pink’ Scam Can Steal Your Sensitive Data: Police Issues Alert & Warning (How To Stop This Scam?) – Trak.in

July 1, 2023/in Internet Security

A circulating WhatsApp message offers a link to download a pink-themed version of the app, known as ‘WhatsApp Pink.’ However, it has been discovered that ‘WhatsApp Pink’ is a harmful app designed to steal sensitive data, including banking information, OTPs, photos, and contacts.

WhatsApp Pink Scam

The ‘WhatsApp Pink Scam,’ a deceptive scheme, was initially exposed by internet security researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia in April 2021. Subsequently, the Mumbai Police Cyber Crime Wing issued a Twitter alert, offering guidance on how to defend against these scams.

To shield oneself from such fraudulent activities, it is essential to exclusively obtain and install applications from reliable sources like the Google Play Store. Apple users, in particular, benefit from added protection as Apple limits installations to trusted sources.

Protect Yourself from WhatsApp Pink Scam and Uninstall the Malicious App

Furthermore, it is important to refrain from installing apps from unfamiliar websites or APKs sent by unknown individuals. The ‘Forwarded’ label on WhatsApp messages can be useful in determining whether the message originated from a trusted source.

To remove WhatsApp Pink from your device, start by disconnecting any suspicious devices from the ‘Linked devices’ section in WhatsApp. The security researcher mentioned that WhatsApp Pink may conceal itself from the list of installed apps. If you encounter this issue, navigate to the ‘Apps’ section in your phone’s settings, locate ‘WhatsApp Pink’ with the pink logo, and select the uninstall option. It is worth noting that some malicious apps may not have a visible name in the app list, so be sure to remove any unidentified apps as well.

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GravityRAT Android Malware Variant Steals WhatsApp Backups

June 19, 2023/in Computer Security

Heads up, Android users! The latest GravityRAT malware variant now targets Android devices and steals WhatsApp chat backups. The malware reaches the devices by posing as a chat app. Again, this highlights the essentiality of downloading only known apps from trusted sources.

GravityRAT Android Malware Steals WhatsApp Backups

According to a recent report from ESET, a new GravityRAT malware variant has been actively targeting Android devices.

GravityRAT is a spyware known since 2015 as a potent remote access trojan targeting Windows, macOS, and Android systems. It has run numerous malicious campaigns with different iterations, each bearing more advanced malicious capabilities.

The recent GravityRAT variant targets Android devices and steals various files, including WhatsApp backups. To achieve this goal, the threat actors rolled out “BingeChat,” – a supposed chat app. The app offers numerous attractive features, including end-to-end encryption, voice chats, file sharing, an easy user interface, and free availability to lure users.

To further instigate curiosity and add a sense of legitimacy to the app, the threat actors have restricted the app download to an “invite-only” mode with registration requirements. This seemingly prevents the app analysis from potential researchers and ensures a targeted victim base.

Apparently, the app functions usually because the threat actors have developed it on the open-source Android messenger OMEMO IM. That’s how it avoids alarming users about the embedded GravityRAT malware in this trojanized app.

After being downloaded and installed, the app requests risky permissions, which any legit messaging app would request. These include access to SMS messages, contact lists, call logs, location, and device details. Once obtained, the app transmits all this information to the attackers’ C&C.

Alongside these capabilities, the new GravityRAT malware hidden inside the BingeChat app also receives commands regarding file deletion, call log deletion, and contact list deletion. Moreover, it steals files with various extensions, including crypt14, crypt12, crypt13, and crypt18 extensions that often represent WhatsApp chat

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What Are Internet Security Issues #shorts

April 26, 2023/in Video

WhatsApp Introduces New Device Verification Feature to Prevent Account Takeover Attacks

April 13, 2023/in Mobile Security

Apr 13, 2023Ravie LakshmananMobile Security / Privacy

Popular instant messaging app WhatsApp on Thursday announced a new account verification feature that ensures that malware running on a user’s mobile device doesn’t impact their account.

“Mobile device malware is one of the biggest threats to people’s privacy and security today because it can take advantage of your phone without your permission and use your WhatsApp to send unwanted messages,” the Meta-owned company said in an announcement.

Called Device Verification, the security measure is designed to help prevent account takeover (ATO) attacks by blocking the threat actor’s connection and allowing the target to use the app without any interruption.

In other words, the goal is to deter attackers’ use of malware to steal authentication keys and hijack victim accounts, and subsequently impersonate them to distribute spam and phishing links.

This, in turn, is achieved by introducing a security-token that’s stored locally on the device, a cryptographic nonce to identify if a WhatsApp client is contacting the server to retrieve incoming messages, and an authentication-challenge that acts as an “invisible ping” from the server to a user’s device.

The client is required to send the security-token every time it connects to the server. The security-token, for its part, is updated every time it fetches an offline message from the server.

An authentication-challenge is considered a failure when the client responds to the challenge from a different device, indicating an anomalous connection originating from an attacker. This causes the connection to be blocked.

Should there be no response from the client, the process is retried a “few more times,” after which the connection will be blocked if the client still doesn’t respond.

WhatsApp said Device Verification has been rolled out to all Android users and that it’s in the process of being rolled out to iOS users.

The feature is part of a broader set of new enhancements that are designed to authenticate and verify users’ identities, including displaying alerts when there is an attempt to migrate a WhatsApp account from one device to another.

Also launched by WhatsApp is a “Key…

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Tag Archive for: WhatsApp

GravityRAT Android Malware Steals WhatsApp Backups