Android users warned: Think twice, check math before downloading WhatsApp

Users of mobile devices running Google's Android operating system may have to think twice and check their math before downloading and installing the popular WhatsApp application.

Panda Security said  perpetrators of the new attack used advertising on Facebook to trick victims into downloading installing rogue apps.

"Cyber-criminals are always trying to attract people’s attention in order to carry out their crimes. So it should be no surprise that they have now found a combined way of using Facebook (the world’s largest social network), WhatsApp (the leading text messaging program for smartphones, recently bought by Facebook) and Android (the most popular operating system for mobile devices) to defraud users," it said.


Victims who access Facebook from an Android mobile device will see a "suggested post" advertising tools for WhatsApp.

Those who click on the post will be redirected to a page resembling Google Play.

Check math

But Panda Security said users should check their numbers: the app has a score of 4.5 but the number of stars is 3.5.

"You can see that the score is calculated on the basis of the votes from 35,239 users. Yet if you add up the number of votes that appear on the right, the total is 44,060 votes," it added.

Careful users can then detect the page is "really a Web page designed to look like the Play Store, so users think they are in a trusted site," it added.Another sign that something is fishy is that the browser address bar is hidden at all times.Victims risk downloading an app that calls a premium rate SMS service that can drain their load.

Also, Panda noted the malware hides messages from the number 22365, a warning SMS to users who have activated this kind of premium service. — VC, GMA News

Read More

Apple buys start up that helps developers test applications

Apple confirmed it had gone shopping and purchased a California start-up, Burstly, which facilitates testing of applications for developers.The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday that Apple did not disclose a price for the company.The company allows developers access to more potential users for beta tests. Recently, however, it canceled the its TestFlight option for devices that use the Android operating system, the Times said.Apple is know for making relatively small acquisitions, spending $345 million in one deal in 2013, its biggest purchase of the year for a company that makes semi-conductors.With a large pile of cash on its books, however, Apple has gone shopping more often. It spent $525 million on acquisitions in final three months of the year, Apple said in a regulator filing.

Read More

Now, an Android app for the LGBT community

For over three years, IT professional Sukhdeep Singh has been running an online magazine focussed on the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in India.

After work hours, a group of 10 scattered around the country have doubled as editors, tech support and even done on-the-ground reporting on events and issues that involve the community. Last week, on Valentine’s Day, the group launched an official app for the magazine, called ‘Gaylaxy’, and with it plans to do much more than a magazine.

“Currently all we have is a lot of dating apps,” says Mr. Singh. “We wanted to have a social app where we can not only share articles but also allow for interaction, provide information on events or pride marches, and create a support-system like platform for members of the community,” he said. The decision to move to the mobile platform was provoked by the fact that a majority of traffic to the online site was from mobile phones. The e-zine is also available in Hindi.

After the Supreme Court verdict recriminalising gay sex, the group decided that such a forum was necessary. Apurv Gupta, who manages the tech side, said plans are on to also make the app available for iOS and Windows devices. “Now our focus is on making this as current, relevant and interactive as possible,” he added.

Read More