Is Your WhatsApp Being Weird? You May Need to Check For Hidden Malware

McAfee

Jul 12, 2019

2 MIN READ

With over 2.5 billion monthly active users that have accumulated since its fruition, Android has seen massive growth over the last 10 years. With so many users, it’s no wonder why cybercriminals continuously look to exploit Android devices. In fact, 25 million Android users have recently been hit with a new malware.

Dubbed Agent Smith, this cyberthreat sneaks onto a user’s device when the user downloads a malicious app from the app store, like a photo utility or game app. The app then silently installs the malware disguised as a legitimate Google updating tool. However, no updating icon appears on the screen, making the user oblivious to their device being in danger. Once installed, the malware replaces legitimate apps on the user’s phone, such as WhatsApp, with an evil update that serves bad ads. According to security researchers, the ads themselves aren’t malicious. But if a victim accidentally clicks on the ad, the hackers can make money from these ad fraud schemes. What’s more, there’s potential that these bad ads aren’t limited to just WhatsApp and could be found on other platforms as well.

So, what can Android users do to prevent this malware from sneaking onto their device? Check out the following tips to help stay secure:

Be wary of WhatsApp ads. Android users should take action if they experience advertisements displayed at strange times, such as when they open WhatsApp. The legitimate WhatsApp does not serve ads, so if you experience ads on this platform your device might have been infected.
Look out for suspicious apps. Check the apps and notifications section of your Android settings. If you see suspicious apps with names such as Google Updater, Google Installer for U, Google Powers, and Google Installer, uninstall these apps right away.
Stay away from unofficial Android stores. Google has extra precautions designed to prevent malware from getting onto the official Android store website, so only downloading apps from there could help protect you.
Use a security solution. A solution like McAfee Mobile Security can help Android users stay protected from threats like mobile malware. It also provides a free antivirus cleaner and phone security app to protect your online privacy and enhance device performance.

And, as always, to stay updated on all of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.