FIA red alert: Hackers could target WhatsApp

Photo: AFP

WhatsApp could be the new target of hackers in Pakistan, the Federal Investigation Agency has said.

Do not share any code received on your phone, as it could lead to hacking, it instructed. The agency advised the public about the risk from international payment messages.

The FIA will send the notice to the public, banks and institutions. They have received complaints about calls from unknown sources.

While WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption guarantees that your messages are secure, they could still be hacked.

Hackers can get hold of your account by urging you to open a certain link or performing an action from your device. These links contain malware and viruses, which could allow the user to get hold of your personal information.

Related: Here is why you need to update your WhatsApp on IOS quickly

According to ValueWalk, the hackers could send you a general message, such as Good Morning, Happy Birthday followed by a second message, in which they would ask you to copy the text and send it to them through WhatsApp. The first message would automatically install malware on your device, and the second message contains a six-digit code and a link which WhatsApp sends its user in case of registering a new account.

In October 2018, the FIA had received complaints in which reporters mentioned that their accounts were being hacked by a group of hackers who asked them for bank-based transfers in order to get control of their accounts back.

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