Just a few days back, a WhatsApp forward made rounds on the messaging app, which asked users to download a pink version of the app. The message involves a link and suggests that you can use a new version of WhatsApp with new features. The name of the app is “WhatsApp Pink,” which turned out to be a malicious app. It does seem to change the app’s color.
When you click on the link, you are redirected to a page with an option to download the malicious WhatsApp Pink app on your phone. Once you install the clone of WhatsApp, it could steal your personal data and you might end up in a problem. Cybersecurity researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia reported about this malicious app on Twitter and even shared a few screenshots showing the interface of the malicious app, which seems to be similar to the original app.
“Beware of WhatsApp Pink!! A Virus is being spread in #WhatsApp groups with an APK download link. Don’t click any link with the name of WhatsApp Pink. Complete access to your phone will be lost,” Rajaharia said. It is important to note that WhatsApp or Facebook hasn’t announced any such app.
Users should never download anything that is being shared on WhatsApp unless they know the link is accurate. If you receive an app link on WhatsApp, then you should double-check the existence of it on Google. It is always better to install new apps from Play Store as Google runs a safety check on apps before you get access to them. WhatsApp’s “forwarded” messages are also helpful. The “Forwarded” label helps you determine if your friend or relative wrote the message or if it originally came from someone else. If a message (with a link) has been forwarded many times and you are not sure about whether you should download it, then you should ignore it. You can use a robust mobile security app, which can alert you about malicious apps.
It is important to note one should never try to use a modified version of any original app as it is a huge security risk. Whenever you download an app, it asks you for permissions like storage, cameras, and contacts, among others. So, you could end up giving some of the personal details and then wonder what happened. Before downloading any app, you should always the screenshots, description, developer name, app name, number of downloads, and reviews. If you find something suspicious, then you can drop the idea of installing it.
Step 1: You first need to uninstall WhatsApp Pink. Before that, if you have linked all Whatsapp Web Devices, then unlink them immediately.
Step 2: Clear the browser cache from settings.
Step 3: You also need to check the permission for all the apps and if you found any suspicious permission to any app, revoke it immediately
The security researcher reported on Twitter that the app goes into hiding mode once you install it. So, it might be a bit difficult for you to uninstall it as the option might not be immediately visible. So, for this, all you need to do is go to the settings section on your smartphone and then visit Apps. Here, you will see the list of apps that are installed on your phone. You can then find the WhatsApp Pink app and remove it.
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