New malware attack on WhatsApp users!

Bhubaneswar: Personal information of WhatsApp users are at stake. As some of the users have been reportedly receiving text messages from their WhatsApp contacts luring with smartphone if they click an Android app link, a malware attack is believed spreading through the WhatsApp fast.

Antivirus vendor ESET’s security researcher Lukas Stefanko tweeted about the malware attack, saying, “This malware spreads via victim’s WhatsApp by automatically replying to any received WhatsApp message notification with a link to [a] malicious Huawei Mobile app. Message is sent only once per hour to the same contact.”

The message which is spreading through WhatsApp read, “Download this application and win Mobile Phone,” followed by the link.

Any user who clicks the link gets directed to a cloned version of the Google Play Store. While installing the app, which looks like the official Huawei Mobile app, the Android user will be asked to grant permission for notification access.

Once the user gives permission to the malware app, it abuses WhatApp’s quick reply feature and spams WhatsApp contacts with the download link.

The WhatApp’s quick reply feature helps its users respond to incoming texts directly from the notifications.

Experts are of the opinion Android users must download apps from trustworthy developers.

As the malicious Huawei Mobile app is spreading through WhatsApp contacts, Android users are more likely to fall victims to the malware, said an expert.