How to tell if you’re one of the 25MILLION WhatsApp users with fake ‘hacked’ version of the app
WHATSAPP users are being warned over a dangerous type of “malware” that swaps your chat app with a hacked version.
Experts warn that 25million WhatsApp users who own Android smartphones have been affected – putting them at risk of being spied on by hackers.
The malware is called “Agent Smith”, and replaces your WhatsApp with a dodgy version that serves you up advertisements – earning money for crooks.
However, experts say the malware leaves you open to more dangerous hack attacks, and could hand your private info to hackers on a plate.
Cybersecurity experts at Check Point – who – say most victims are in India, where up to 15million users are affected.
But it’s estimated that 137,000 Brits and 300,000 Americans have also been caught up in the scam.
For most users, the fake WhatsApp will simply be a major nuisance.
It will serve up “malicious” ads at random times, which are difficult or impossible to quit.
Researchers are blaming an unnamed company based in Guangzhou, China.
So how do they make the dodgy apps make their way onto your system?
The main route is through third-party apps that you’ve downloaded from somewhere other than the Google Play Store.
These can be photo apps, games or social apps, but they all share one thing in common: they were created by scammers.
“In the first phase, the attacker lures users to download a dropper application from an app store such as 9Apps,” Check Point researchers explained.
“These droppers are usually disguised as free games, utility applications or adult entertainment applications, yet contain an encrypted malicious payload.”
This app then silently installs the malware on your system, but disguises it as a “Google Updater” tool.
You won’t see any icon for this app on your screen, making it more difficult to spot and delete.
The malware then replaces WhatsApp with an infected version of the app on your device.
This app will then spam you with annoying ads, all while generating quick cash for crooks.
Fake WhatsApp? How to check if yours is dodgy...
Here's what you need to know...
The main way to spot a problem is if you notice ads at weird times.
In particular, if you receive ads when you open WhatsApp then there’s a problem.
That’s because the standard version of WhatsApp doesn’t serve ads – though some users may see ads in Stories.
If you suspect a dodgy app, check your app list for suspicious items like Google Updater or Google Installer. If you find one, uninstall it.
If you have an infected app, follow these steps…
Android:
- Go to Settings Menu
- Click on Apps or Application Manager
- Scroll to the suspected app and uninstall it
- If it can’t be found then remove all recently installed apps
Once that’s done, uninstall WhatsApp from your phone and reinstall it completely through the official Google Play Store.
Don’t forget to back up your chats before your uninstall WhatsApp, or you risk losing them.
However, even users who download apps from the official Google Play Store aren’t safe.
According to Check Point researchers, 11 different apps on the Google Play Store contained the rogue malware.
These apps have since been removed from the store by Google, but they may still be lurking on your device.
We recently revealed the full list of 111 popular Android apps that may be destroying your battery life.
And we also warned over a further 230 Android apps that can break your phone.
For safer downloads, check out the official best Android apps and games list from the Google Play Awards 2018.
And make sure to avoid dodgy Android virus detectors that simply don’t work.
Have you spotted any dodgy apps lately? If so, let us know in the comments!
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