Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at Meta Group, posted an alarming tweet on Monday. It warns users about the danger of fake WhatsApp apps promising extra features. In the rest of his tweet, the manager of the messaging app specifically mentions “Hey WhatsApp”, which can be downloaded from the Play Store. His team discovered malware intended to steal users’ personal data.
Applications that circumvent privacy guarantees
“Downloading a fake or modified version of WhatsApp is never a good idea. While these apps may appear harmless, they can bypass WhatsApp’s privacy and security protections,” warns Will Cathcart. The manager reminded that it is necessary to download the WhatsApp application through the official store or the website of the messaging service.
This issue only affects Android phone users who have access to multiple apps on the Play Store. iPhone owners cannot download apps that are not approved by the App Store. However, following the European Parliament’s decision, the law should change in the coming years and end Apple’s monopoly on app management. Conversation security is a key theme for the Meta team, which claims to be constantly working on the confidentiality of exchanges between users.
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