Recently, WhatsApp users have been warned not to open dangerous email, whose purpose is to make them install a malicious executable file.
According to security researchers, the above-mentioned malware has being distributed via malware campaign, where emails look as if they have been sent from an official WhatsApp account. The main purpose of cyber criminals is to trick WhatsApp users into opening the email and downloading the attached virus.
The malicious messages contain suggestive subject lines including, “you have obtained a voice notification“, “an audio memo was missed“, “a brief audio recording has been delivered” and “a short vocal recording was obtained“.
Some WhatsApp users are being sent other notifications too, including a fake notification about a new video note.
Comodo Antispam Labs reported that none of these emails originate from a WhatsApp email address, though they are “disguised with an umbrella branding“.
The malicious messages contain a compressed ZIP file, which unleash the hidden malware inside. Most often, it replicates itself into different system folders, adding itself into an auto-run in the computer’s registry.
According to Comodo’s Director of Technology, “cybercriminals are becoming more and more like marketers – trying to use creative subject lines to have unsuspecting emails be clicked and opened to spread malware“.
Presently, more than 900 million people woldwide are using WhatsApp, which makes it one of the most popular cross-platform messaging applications.
The service, bought by Facebook for $19 billion last year, crashed on the New Years Eve and left millions of users unable to send their best wishes to family and friends.
Currently, WhatsApp is offered on a yearly subscription plan of 69p, providing users with Voice over IP calling, group chats, etc.
