Hi Guys,
I wanted to remind you about a tip I sent you in May this year (see below for original message) about a fake version of Whatsapp spreading severe Malware. If you have installed it by accident, a remote attacker will be able to read your Whatsapp messages and even pose as you and communicate on your behalf.
This week, we are seeing a massive rise in people worldwide being infected with this Malware, so I wanted to remind you to only install Whatsapp from the official Google and Apple App stores. You are putting yourself and your data at serious risk if you download from anywhere else.
These three fake versions of Whatsapp are Malware:
- GBWhatsApp
- OBWhatsApp
- WhatsApp Plus
How can you stay safe?
- Only ever install apps from the Google Play Store, and before you install, check how many reviews the app has. (This is the most important thing to do)
- Never install an app from a website that you do not trust. You can use the Incognito Website Checker, and we will tell you if it is safe or not.
- During installation, pay attention to the requested permissions and do not grant any permissions that appear unnecessary for the app’s core functionality.
- You can also use Incognito’s App Check tool to check what permissions an installed app already has on your device. If you use this feature, you will be stunned by some of your installed apps’ permissions. I suggest you use this tool to check what apps have what permissions on your device. Does a torchlight app need to be able to make phone calls etc.?
- Keep an eye on battery consumption; if your device goes dead fast, it is a clear sign of malware infection
- Also, keep an eye on network traffic volumes to identify any spikes as this can be a sign of malicious processes running in the background.
Please share this message and, as always, let me know if you need any help.
All the best,
Max Roberts,
Incognito Privacy Care Team