Millions of iPhone, iPad and Android users have been warned of two new Whatsapp alerts which could leave devices either unable to send messages, or hand highly personal and sensitive information over to cybercriminals.
The first alert affects all with Android devices, with hackers using a fake version of the popular IM service called YoWahtsApp - laced with nasty malware known as Triada.
The security breach was initially spotted by experts over at Kasperky.
Read more: Mum warns of WhatsApp scam after being conned out of £10,000 by fraudster impersonating her son
The Express reports that once installed, the bug allows hackers to take complete control of an account - with fraudsters able to send malicious money-stealing messages to friends and contacts unknowingly to the user. Modified versions of WhatsApp remain hugely popular, claiming to offer bonus features that can't be found on the legitimate version.
As iPhones only allow trusted apps to be installed - where as Andoids are able to sideload without going through the Google Play Store, Android users are always the most at risk to dodgy apps and malware. Apple also vet all apps prior to release, hence why this type of scam is usually only targeted at Android devices.
Explaining more about the threat, Kaspersky said: "Cybercriminals are increasingly using the power of legitimate software to distribute malicious apps. This means that users who choose popular apps and official installation sources, may still fall victim to them.
"In particular, malware like Triada can steal an IM account, and for example, use it to send unsolicited messages, including malicious spam. The user’s money is also at risk, as the malware can easily set up paid subscriptions for the victim."
And while the first alert is strictly targeted at Android users, there's also an upcoming change that will affect a handful of iPhone owners. In May, Meta revealed that they would be dropping support for the app to all iPhones which aren't able to run Apple's iOS 12 operating system onward.
Although many of Apple's latest releases will have no issues with upgrading to the latest OS, it's bad news for anyone still using an iPhone 5 or colourful 5c. These ageing devices will no longer be compatible with newer software, and from later this week, anyone using one will be disheartened to find that WhatsApp no longer works.
It appears that those with incompatible devices are already receiving alerts which say, "Update to the latest version of iOS to continue using WhatsApp. WhatsApp will stop supporting this version of iOS after 24 Oct 2022."
Along with this pop-up window on iPhones, WhatsApp has also updated its support page which now states: "Currently, we provide support for and recommend using the following devices: Android running OS 4.1 and newer, iPhone running iOS 12 and newer."
If your device can't switch to iOS 12 you'll need to buy something new to continue using WhatsApp.
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