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

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Impressed by Facebook, Srinagar duo develops ‘Connect Kashmir’

Srinagar, Feb 22: Love of their mother tongue has driven two old city siblings here to develop a social networking site on the pattern of Facebook. The site named ‘Connect Kashmir’ is aimed to promote Kashmiri language.The siblings, Rayees and Suhail Zargar, said the aim of the site is to create awareness among younger generation about Kashmir’s history and its language. The siblings, who are computer literates, said that they got the idea of developing the site from some social networking sites including Facebook.
“Almost everyone in Kashmir is using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. And that is from where the thought of developing our own social networking site came to our mind,” says Rayees. “We developed the Social Networking module with different features which could attract people towards this site,” they said. The duo said the Connect Kashmir has around 5,000 active members and the membership is increasing with each passing day.
“We are providing space to local entrepreneurs to market their products through advertisement on the site. We are looking for sponsor and advertisers which can help our venture to further expand its base,”. Rayees said, adding that the Connect Kashmir is not just a social networking site, “it is a cause by which we will promote language and educate people about Kashmir history.”

“The site has been developed in such a way that people around the world can connect to Kashmir and know about it. In Connect Kashmir our motto is to introduce people to the rich culture of Kashmir, its proverbs, its budding talent its heritage and much more,” Rayees said. 

The website features many articles on the history of Kashmir. “The aim of such exercise is to create awareness about the Kashmir language through social networking, which is a craze these days, people from every age group are using it.”

Suhail Zargar, who is doing Master’s in Computer Applications said they wanted to give Kashmir its own social networking site. The duo however had to confront many problems during the process of developing the site. Suhail said: “One of the major difficulties we faced while developing the site is electricity outages and poor internet connectivity.”
Pertinently, Connect Kashmir is the product of Netshell Software Solution, a software company in JK, owned by Zargar brothers.The Ck was formally launched by the Commissioner Secretary, IT, at Mumbai during an IT show where people praised the duo for their concept. Pertinently, the trend of making android games, applications and developing websites is gaining popularity in Kashmir. Recently, a 19-year-old boy developed an android game based on the basic principles of Physics.Earlier, a 23-year-old software engineer developed an Android application ‘Dial Kashmir’ that contains over 500 contacts of government and private departments. Previously, another young engineer developed an online platform where people can share and get any information regarding Kashmir.

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After deal with Facebook, WhatsApp allows 'hide last seen' feature on Android

The feature that allows you to hide your "last seen" status on WhatsApp has been exclusive to the iPhone for years now. WhatsApp right on the heels of their multi-billion dollar deal with Facebookhas finally decided to let the Android family join in as well. Android users can rejoice as you can now avoid people tracking your every movement on the social messaging app.The updated version of WhatsApp will  bring one of the most demanded features to the Android app. The feature will also allow users to hide their 'last seen' from certain people, all their contacts or only from contacts in their phone book.The feature has been available to iOS users of the app for quite some time now but the implementation is a bit different in the Android version. An interesting advantage to Android users is that they can change between 'seen' and 'unseen' more than once in a day. Whereas for iPhone users they can only change it once, and then have to wait a whole 24 hours before they can change it again.In addition to the new feature, WhatsApp also released another bonus. This bonus allows you to hide your profile picture and status from people who are not in your contact list or people in your list, you don't want looking through your personal information. Again an Android specific feature, it is yet to debut for iOS phones.The new version is not yet available on the Play Store. However, you can download the APK file from the WhatsApp website. The app is designed to run on Android 2.1 or higher.The new features will work well with the public who have been complaining about major privacy issues for a while now.

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WhatsApp To Release Update For Android User For More Privacy Features

There wouldn't be any major changes in the update but yes, the update will bring more integrated control over the status, profile photo and last seen date and time to the users. Its strange that even under the transition phase, Whats App is actually working towards making the messaging experience more secure, which iPhone users have had for a while.Although the app has not hit the Google Play store at the moment, you can choose to download the beta version of the app from here. It will simply update the current version.After the version is updated, you'll get to see three options inside: Settings, Account, Privacy. Through these set of settings, you can set the app accordingly. Also the ability to set who can see your Last Seen, Profile Photo and Status can be enabled from here.

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WhatsApp for Android users can now hide 'last seen' notification

After having caused ripples across the industry for agreeing to a buyout by Facebook for a whopping $19 billion, the cross-platform messaging app, WhatsApp has rolled out two new features for mobile users on the Android platform. The new reports say that the update for the Android platform will allow users to hide the 'last seen' notification from other users, with the choice of hiding it from everyone, from certain contacts, or only those not on the user's phonebook.This features has been available to iOS users for a while. It is now included under the privacy settings on the WhatsApp for Android app. Currently the new features are not available for download on the Google Play store.A user can however download the apk file from the WhatsApp website. The minimum requirements there, are listed as, having Android version 2.1 or higher and an unlimited data plan. It is also mentioned that the upgrade is currently only for mobile phones running the Android platform, and not tablets.

WhatsApp has added another update, which lets users of WhatsApp for Android hide their profile pictures and status from select friends, strangers or just about everyone. The new privacy tab will only be visible under the new settings tab under account settings after the new version has been downloaded.Facebook announced the acquisition of WhatsApp on Thursday, in a deal worth $19 billion in cash, stocks and bonuses. WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum has assured over 450 million monthly active users of the popular messaging app that 'nothing' will change for them as a result of this 'partnership' with Facebook. Koum added that WhatsApp 'will remain autonomous and operate independently' of Facebook.

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Google Was Willing to Beat Facebook’s $19B Offer for WhatsApp

Last week, Google CEO Larry Page met with WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum in a last-ditch effort to prevent the rapidly growing messaging app from selling itself to Facebook, according to three people involved in the deal.The Google chief had learned that a few days before, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had made a pitch to Mr. Koum to join his company and his board of directors, a bold move Mr. Zuckerberg felt he had to make to preserve Facebook’s dominance in online communication in light of WhatsApp’s growing global popularity.Mr. Page’s message to Mr. Koum: Stay independent as you’ve always planned. You’re a big threat to Facebook. And joining Facebook would have a major impact on "how things play out for years to come," according to one of the people involved in the talks.

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