- By Ashish Singh
- Fri, 03 Nov 2023 08:29 PM (IST)
- Source:IANS
Researchers in cybersecurity have revealed a serious vulnerability to users of messaging apps in a recent report. Dubbed the "WhatsApp Spy Mod," approximately 340,000 attacks on Telegram users have been caused by this malicious software in October alone, according to Kaspersky’s research. The malware mainly affects speakers of Arabic and Azeri, however, victims from all across the world have been found.
In search of more features and functionalities, a lot of users have resorted to third-party modifications for a variety of messaging applications. Researchers warn that although these modifications promise improved functionality, they might also contain concealed malware.
Along with features like customisable preferences and scheduled messages, the recently found WhatsApp mod also includes a malicious spyware module. The modified WhatsApp client's manifest file has suspicious elements, such as a service and a broadcast receiver that are missing from the original version, according to Kaspersky's research.
When the user's phone is charged or turned on, the receiver starts a service that launches the spy module. When the malicious implant is active, it sends a request to the attacker's server including the device's information.
Sensitive information such as the IMEI, phone number, country, and network codes are among the things included in this data. It can also record microphone conversations, steal files from external storage, and email the victim's account details and contacts every five minutes.
The countries with the highest attack rates were Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Turkey, and Egypt. Despite Arabic and Azerbaijani being the malware's primary target languages, people in the US, Russia, the UK, Germany, and several other nations have been infected by it.
Experts advise using official app marketplaces and installing software and programs only from reliable, official sources in order to safeguard oneself from such risks. Additionally, they advise avoiding using third-party app stores because there is a greater chance that dangerous or compromised apps may be hosted on these platforms.
