Hackers have a new way to steal your banking login using WhatsApp
Hackers are targeting unsuspecting users with a new type of mobile virus that spreads through legitimate-looking word documents sent via WhatsApp, which could then steal sensitive information from users, including online banking credentials and other data.
The WhatsApp con almost certainly targets Android users. IBTimes doesn’t mention the operating system explicitly in its report, but malware like this typically only works on Google’s operating system and not the iPhone. Furthermore, these “WhatsApp viruses” have only been discovered in India so far, a market where low-end Android smartphones running older versions of Android are very popular.
Hackers are taking advantage of two big organizations in the region to convince users to click on the message attachment. The malicious WhatsApp messages contain names of major organizations in India including NDA (National Defense Academy) and NIA (National Investigation Agency). The documents that circulate via messages are typically in Excel format, although Word and PDF files have been reported as well. The documents are able to access personal data on the phone, including banking credentials and PIN codes.
