There is a fake version of WhatsApp going around that is stealing accounts as well as personal data from thousands of users. The report was shared by analysts at the cybersecurity company Kaspersky.
This unofficial version is called “YoWhatsApp” and it is a fully functioning messenger app that steals access keys for user accounts. It even uses the same permissions as the standard WhatsApp and is advertised through ads on other scam apps such as Snaptube and Vidmate.
However, unlike the original version of WhatsApp, YoWhatsApp lets you assign two mobile numbers to a single account and offers extra features such as anonymous messaging, viewing deleted messages, and protecting chats with passwords.
The analysts at Kaspersky discovered that the latest version of YoWhatsApp (v2.22.11.75) is stealing WhatsApp keys, letting attackers take control of your account. These stolen WhatsApp keys are sent to the developer’s remote server.
These keys can be used in open-source utilities to connect and perform actions as the user without the actual client.
It is unclear whether these keys have been used for any attacks so far, but it is still a cause for concern since it can lead to account takeovers, data leaks, impersonation to close contacts, and more.
The app has the Triada Trojan embedded into it, which leaves an open backdoor to the app. It can exploit app permissions and register you for paid subscriptions without your knowledge.
There are other fake versions of WhatsApp as well, one of which is called “WhatsApp Plus”. It comes with the same malicious features for account stealing and more.
Thankfully, neither of these apps are available on the Google Play Store, so they should not be able to harm most users at the time of writing.
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