WhatsApp groups of Ministers’ PROs and journalists hacked

Cyber criminals in Hyderabad hacked WhatsApp groups operated by ministers’ public relations officers and journalists by circulating malicious APK files disguised as SBI Aadhaar updates. The hackers threatened users with account lockouts, altered group display pictures, and spread the malware through contacts.

Hyderabad: A few WhatsApp groups operated by public relations officers of Ministers, apart from a few mobile phones of journalists were allegedly hacked by cyber crooks in the city on Sunday.

In the guise of SBI Aadhaar updates, the hackers shared APK files with a journalist and later, through the same contact, to a few WhatsApp groups, including Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s group, thereby hacking the groups.

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In the message, the hackers threatened that SBI accounts of the users would be permanently ‘locked’ and wanted the account holders to update their Aadhaar details. The display pictures of the WhatsApp groups were also changed.

Cyber experts have appealed to users not to click or open APK files as they could allow fraudsters to hack their mobile phones.