Tag: WhatsApp | Page 4

Indians Are Being Monitored By A Cloned WhatsApp Software That Records Audio And Video 2022

October 23, 2022/in Internet Security

Indians are being monitored by a cloned WhatsApp software that records audio and video 2022

Among the most used apps in India is WhatsApp. More than 400 million Indians actively use the Meta-owned app. Several WhatsApp clone apps are online, even if the original app is free. These clone apps offer some functionalities that are now unavailable on WhatsApp. GB WhatsApp is one such software. According to reports, an unofficial WhatsApp clone software is monitoring the discussions of Indian users.

According to the data (via) published by cybersecurity research company ESET, India is one of the countries with the highest rates of Android trojan detections. Even if GB WhatsApp cannot be downloaded from the Play Store, it may be set up using an APOK file.

There is no other private communication platform like WhatsApp in India and the entire world. The Facebook-owned American freeware pass messaging application boasts 2 billion monthly users in 180 nations. It is undoubtedly the most widely used messaging service in the world, with an estimated 65 billion texts being exchanged daily and 2 billion seconds of voice and video conversations made daily in 2018.

With 400 million active users, India is WhatsApp’s largest market. In addition to becoming free, WhatsApp is easy to use and enables the sending of text, audio, and video messages and documents. Fresh analysis has cautioned that a cloned, third-party, unapproved edition of WhatsApp is dominating in the country in terms of spying on people’s chats and that India is one of the nations with the highest amount of Android malware detections.

Most importantly, though, it guarantees end-to-end encryption for all texts and calls, ensuring users of their privacy and the secrecy of their communications. They are not viewable or listenable to anyone outside of this conversation, not even WhatsApp.

The texting service’s previous reputation for confidentiality is now in doubt in India. Beyond protecting content from being communicated and kept on its service from illegal users and exploitation, serious questions are being raised regarding WhatsApp’s capability to safeguard a person’s privacy.

Ironically, a slew of unrelated recent…

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Knock-off WhatsApp on Android uses malware to steal your account — delete it now

October 13, 2022/in Computer Security

Malicious WhatsApp mods on Android have been discovered using malware to take over users’ accounts, allowing hackers to impersonate victims, send spam, and even set up paid subscriptions.

Spotted by cybersecurity experts Kaspersky, knock-off messaging apps of the popular messaging platform, including “YoWhatsApp” and “Whatsapp Plus,” used malicious code in a new version of their dedicated apps in a known malware labeled Triada Trojan.

In YoWhatsApp version 2.22.11.75, a malicious module allows the app to steal keys for the legitimate WhatsApp, giving threat actors the ability to take over a user’s account. As the report points out, these keys also allow the use of a WhatsApp account without actually having the app.

YoWhatsApp advertised on Snaptube — (Image credit: Kaspersky )

YoWhatsApp asks for the same permissions as WhatsApp, including access to SMS, meaning the same permissions are then granted to the Triada Trojan malware. The cybercriminals can then take control of the account, with the user losing access, to send messages impersonating the user, send malicious spam, and set up paid subscriptions — generating a profit without the user’s knowledge.

The unofficial apps are spread ads in popular apps such as Snaptube and Vidmate. YoWhatsApp is known to be a fully functioning messenger app, but adds different features from the official WhatsApp app including a customizable interface and blocking access to individual chats. Not all WhatsApp mods are malicious, but the ones discovered now contain malicious code.

The cybersecurity site notified Snaptube about the malicious app being pushed on its ad platform, meaning its distribution should stop soon. There aren’t any known victims the report specifies, but it’s a good idea to stay away from these apps.

Kaspersky had previously investigated this malware last year in another modified WhatsApp build called “FMWhatsApp.” Now, the code has been spotted in other Android apps.

Watch out for unofficial apps

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Do NOT download GB WhatsApp! It can spy on your Android phone

October 8, 2022/in Internet Security

A new report says that India is one of the largest countries for Android malware to exploit. Here are details.

Android phones are not safe and a new report reaffirms that. But the bigger shock comes from the fact that India is one of the biggest playgrounds for Android malware. Based on the T2 2022 Threat Report by Malware protection and Internet Security firm ESET, it is said that most of the Android Trojan malware is found in India, and it continues to grow by 9.5 percent in the latter half of 2022. And one of the prime suspects is the GB WhatsApp app, which is responsible for spreading the malware.

The GB WhatsApp app, which is a third party WhatsApp client, is an easy way to spread the Android spyware. The app is essentially a modified version of WhatsApp that offers some added features along with the usual WhatsApp features. You won’t find the app listed on the Google Play Store and users need to download its APK and sideload it from other sources. However, the sideload files are easily modified with malicious content and they spread malware as soon as the users download it.

Android malware spreads with GB WhatsApp

Once the app is installed, the malicious codes run in the background, all the while the user doesn’t get a whiff of it. What’s even more dangerous is that the trojan malware is not immediately noticeable as it doesn’t leave any trace on your phone, and even show signs that it is there. The spyware has no effect on the daily performance of your smartphone. Hence, the spyware will continue to steal your data and you may not even know it.

The only way known to get rid of such malware is to perform a full factory reset of your device. And that means you are going to lose all your data. Even having a backup of such data and reinstalling it would reinstate the malware.

How to stay safe

– First and foremost, you should not download and install apps from outside the Google Play store. Most APK files hosted on other app libraries and websites can contain malware embedded into them.

– Never download any modified version of WhatsApp or any other social media app. Unless the app has been released by the developer themselves, stick to the official app.

– In case you suspect your…

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Telegram founder says WhatsApp is a surveillance tool and users should stop using it

October 7, 2022/in Mobile Security

WhatsApp recently revealed “critical” rated security vulnerability affecting its Android app. Telegram founder Pavel Durov takes a dig at WhatsApp and asks users to stay away from the app.

HIGHLIGHTS

Telegram founder Pavel Durov warns people about WhatsApp security threats.
Telegram’s founder claims that WhatsApp will never be secure for users.
WhatsApp has fixed the ‘critical’ security bug that puts Android phones at risk.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov called WhatsApp a “surveillance tool” and urged users to stay away from the Meta-owned instant messaging app. Highlighting the security issue disclosed by WhatsApp last month, Durov said that WhatsApp has been putting user data at risk. He urged people to use any other instant messaging app except WhatsApp.

“Hackers could have full access to everything on the phones of WhatsApp users,” he said in his Telegram message. He also claimed that WhatsApp has been keeping the users’ data under surveillance for the past 13 years. And that the security issues found on WhatsApp are actually intentionally planted. He also said that the “planted backdoors” enable governments, law enforcement, and hackers to get around encryption and other security measures.

Durov further said that “Every year we learn about some issue in WhatsApp that puts everything on their users’ devices at risk… It doesn’t matter if you are the richest person on Earth – if you have WhatsApp installed on your phone, all your data from every app on your device is accessible.”

This is not the first time that Telegram founder has dragged WhatsApp for being prone to security issues. Earlier, Durov said that “WhatsApp will never be secure” unless the company makes some fundamental changes to it. But till then he advised people to stay away from the app to save their smartphones from being hacked.

Explaining the security and privacy features provided by Telegram, Durov said, “I’m not pushing people to switch to Telegram here… Telegram doesn’t need additional promotion.” He also said that Telegram follows the privacy-first approach to its instant messaging app. The app currently has more than 700 million active users and is reportedly recording steady growth with around 2…

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Tag Archive for: WhatsApp

Indians are being monitored by a cloned WhatsApp software that records audio and video 2022

Watch out for unofficial apps

Android malware spreads with GB WhatsApp

How to stay safe

WhatsApp recently revealed “critical” rated security vulnerability affecting its Android app. Telegram founder Pavel Durov takes a dig at WhatsApp and asks users to stay away from the app.

HIGHLIGHTS