Beware, WhatsApp users: New malware allows others to read your private chats

A new kind of spyware has now hit popular app WhatsApp, which has a user base of over 1 billion active users. It is being claimed that WhatsApp users on Android smartphones are under threat as their phones are being hacked and data is stolen by the recent malware.

According to a report by ZDnet, the malware discovered by ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko, is not only able to compromise WhatsApp messages but also contains a variety of standard surveillance features.

This new spyware also underwent an investigation by G Data SecurityLabs. It was revealed that the malware was codenamed ‘OwnMe’ and was found in a public repository on GitHub.

The malware consists of a MainActivity.class which launches the OwnMe.class service. A pop-up message is then shown to the Android user with the text, "Service started," which implies the malware is still in development, the report added. WhatsApp users need to be careful, as the number of mobile malware cases have increased in the past few years. 

In India, WhatsApp is working closely with Reliance Jio to spread awareness of false messages, weeks after the Indian telecoms operator opened up the messaging service to tens of millions of customers using its cheap internet-enabled phone.

Jio this month gave its more than 25 million JioPhone customers, many of them first-time internet users, access to WhatsApp at a time when the messaging service is battling false and incendiary texts and videos circulating on its platform. Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, launched the JioPhone last year at a refundable deposit of 1,500 rupees ($20.60). The device is internet enabled but didn't initially allow the use of WhatsApp or have several popular smartphone features.

With more than 200 million users, India is a key market for WhatsApp but one where it has had to delay the official launch of its payments services due to the country's push on data localisation. WhatsApp is currently looking for an India chief and a policy head for the country. It last month appointed a grievance officer for Indian users at its Menlo Park, California headquarters, like other global tech firms whose grievance officers sit outside of India. India has, however, said it will toughen up its laws including pushing U.S. tech giants to have their grievance officers in India.