This WhatsApp mod will infect your Android phone — what to do

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This WhatsApp mod volition infect your Android phone — what to do

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Be very careful about installing a WhatsApp mod on your Android telephone — it may contain malware.

Kaspersky reported in a blog post yesterday (Aug. 24) that a certain version of a WhatsApp modernistic called FMWhatsapp contains malware that itself downloads and installs even worse malware. This includes the notoriously difficult-to-remove xHelper Trojan.

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WhatsApp "mods" are auxiliary Android apps, mostly found outside the Google Play store, that alter how WhatsApp functions. FMWhatsApp, for example, offers to add custom themes, admission other apps' emojis and app locking with a Pin, password or fingerprint.

"With this app, information technology is difficult for users to recognize the potential threat considering the mod awarding actually does what is proposed — it adds boosted features," said Kaspersky skillful Igor Golovin.

How to avoid infection

FMWhatsapp is non in the Google Play Shop at all, and only version 16.80.0 is known to be infected, and so it should be pretty easy to avoid as long every bit yous don't install apps from third-party app stores. (You have to grant apps special permissions to do so.)

Many of the best Android antivirus apps also catch the rogue version of FMWhatsapp as it's being downloaded, so they will give you added protection from it and other forms of Android malware.

What's going on hither

FMWhatsapp 16.80.0 contains the Triada Trojan, a strain of mobile malware that'southward been around since 2017. In its current form, Triada is a "downloader" whose principal purpose is to found a backstairs through which other malware can be downloaded and installed.

Forth with xHelper, Triada in this example installs several other malware strains that diplay ads, run "hidden" ads to commit ad fraud, secretly sign upwardly the phone user to paid subscriptions, harvest phone data and install even more Android malware.

"FMWhatsapp users grant the app permission to read their SMS messages," Golovin points out on the Kaspersky SecureList blog.

"The Trojan and all the further malicious modules it loads also proceeds access to them. This allows attackers to automatically sign the victim up for premium subscriptions, fifty-fifty if a confirmation code is required to complete the procedure."

"We don't recommend using unofficial modifications of apps, peculiarly WhatsApp mods," the Kaspersky report says. "You may well stop up with an unwanted paid subscription, or even lose control of your account altogether."

Paul Wagenseil is a senior editor at Tom'south Guide focused on security and privacy. He has likewise been a dishwasher, fry cook, long-haul driver, code monkey and video editor. He's been rooting around in the information-security space for more than than xv years at FoxNews.com, SecurityNewsDaily, TechNewsDaily and Tom's Guide, has presented talks at the ShmooCon, DerbyCon and BSides Las Vegas hacker conferences, shown upwards in random TV news spots and even moderated a panel discussion at the CEDIA dwelling house-technology briefing. You tin can follow his rants on Twitter at @snd_wagenseil.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/whatsapp-mod-malware

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