New threat on WhatsApp: Messages from acquaintances could drain your bank account—how can you stay safe?
WhatsApp is increasingly becoming a new and preferred medium for cybercriminals to commit fraud. Cybersecurity firm Quick Heal Technologies Limited has issued a warning stating that hackers are primarily targeting finance teams, chartered accountants, senior executives, and business users. The most dangerous aspect of this cyberattack is that it spreads not from an unknown number, but from the compromised accounts of friends, colleagues, or business partners.
How does this dangerous hacker network operate?
An investigation by Quick Heal’s research wing, Seqrite Labs, has revealed a new pattern used by hackers.
Exploiting trust: Once hackers compromise a WhatsApp account, they send fake and malicious files to the contacts associated with that account. Since the message appears to come from a known contact, recipients often open the attachment without a second thought.
Authentic-looking filenames: To create a sense of urgency, hackers send files with names like "Financial Report," "Outstanding Payment List," "Date Confirmation," and "Account Statement."
Fake documents from government agencies: In some instances, these files are designed to look like official notices from the Reserve Bank of India or the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
How are hackers deceiving people?
Hackers are constantly employing new techniques to gain a persistent foothold on victims' devices:
VBS and ZIP files: Initially, malicious Visual Basic Script (.vbs) files were sent directly via WhatsApp. Now, hackers are using ZIP archive files.
DLL sideloading: Hackers use an innocuous-looking program within the ZIP file to execute malicious code in the background.
Self-spreading malware: Once a system is infected, the malware exploits active WhatsApp Web sessions running on that system. Afterward, it automatically forwards that same malicious file to all of the victim's contacts without the user's knowledge.
Quick Heal's essential advice for protection:
Verify before opening attachments: Do not directly open unsolicited or unexpected files sent by acquaintances or friends. Always confirm with the sender via a call or message before downloading the file.
Avoid suspicious files: Refrain from downloading .vbs or .exe files, or unknown ZIP files.
Keep security updated: Always keep your system and WhatsApp updated with the latest security patches.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we modified it for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.
