{"id":95927,"date":"2019-07-12T16:17:21","date_gmt":"2019-07-12T23:17:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=95927"},"modified":"2025-05-26T16:16:51","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T23:16:51","slug":"whatsapp-android-malware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/mobile-security\/whatsapp-android-malware\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your WhatsApp Being Weird? You May Need to Check For Hidden Malware"},"content":{"rendered":"

With over 2.5 billion monthly active users<\/a> that have accumulated since its fruition, Android has seen massive growth over the last 10 years. With so many users, it\u2019s no wonder why cybercriminals continuously look to exploit Android devices. In fact, 25 million Android users<\/a> have recently been hit with a new malware.<\/p>\n

Dubbed Agent Smith, this cyberthreat sneaks onto a user\u2019s device when the user downloads a malicious app from the app store, like a photo utility or game app. The app then silently installs the malware disguised as a legitimate Google updating tool. However, no updating icon appears on the screen, making the user oblivious to their device being in danger. Once installed, the malware replaces legitimate apps on the user\u2019s phone, such as WhatsApp, with an evil update that serves bad ads. According to security researchers, the ads themselves aren’t malicious. But if a victim accidentally clicks on the ad, the hackers can make money from these ad fraud schemes. What\u2019s more, there\u2019s potential that these bad ads aren\u2019t limited to just WhatsApp and could be found on other platforms as well.<\/p>\n

Tips to Stay Secure<\/h2>\n

So, what can Android users do to prevent this malware from sneaking onto their device? Check out the following tips to help stay secure:<\/p>\n