A fake app also promised to give two months free membership to users through WhatsApp messages and many Android users were deceived by seeing this fake offer.
If you are an Android user and you have received a message giving free membership of Netflix on WhatsApp, then be careful. A fake Netflix app on the Google Play Store is spreading malware by automatically responding to WhatsApp messages. This app looks similar to Netflix, in this round, people download it and sit down. However, the good thing is that now Google has removed this app named FlixOnline.
According to security firm Check Point Research, the FlixOnline app gave a look like Netflix to deceive users. Not only this, he also promised to give two months free membership to the users through WhatsApp messages. The app, which offers free membership, has shared a link that redirects users to a website to capture their personal data, including credit card details. Many Android users got cheated by watching this Netflix and downloaded the fake app.
Responding to such WhatsApp messages means promoting a hacker to a phishing attack, spreading malware or spreading false information or allowing users to steal data from WhatsApp accounts and chats. The FlixOnline app was available to about 500 users for about two months before being removed by Google last month.
How was this app working
Once the FlixOnline app was installed on the smartphone from the Play Store, it asked for permission for screen overlays, battery optimization and notifications. As soon as access was granted, the malware had full access to respond to the WhatsApp messages that came with malicious payloads and auto-generated tears. Checkpoint researchers said the overlay is used by malware to steal user credentials to create fake logins and fake windows on top of existing apps. The FlixOnline app was monitoring the notifications of users and was automatically responding to the messages on WhatsApp.
This highlights that users should be wary of download links or attachments that they receive through WhatsApp or other messaging apps, even if the message is from a trusted contact but must be crosschecked.
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