Yet again Chinese hackers are coming up with innovative ways to lure innocent WhatsApp users.
Fresh trouble started for WhatsApp which is already struggling over its upcoming user data policy in India.
Hackers Luring WhatsApp Users
According to the New Delhi-based think-tank Cyberpeace Foundation, China-based hackers are targeting WhatsApp users in the country with the promise of ‘part-time’ jobs on Monday.
These proliferating messages on WhatsApp also come with attached links.
Further, they claim that they are giving opportunity for individuals to earn Rs 200 to Rs 3,000 in a day in a mere 10 to 30 minutes.
These messages contain “multiple links that redirect to a common URL and each link uses different numbers to send a message,” according to the foundation.
Messaged Linked With Chinese Server
The report said, “It can be observed that the same outgoing link is used for all the links with variation in the numbers. The parameter in the links indicates that they can be redirected to WhatsApp in all regions and in languages other than English,”.
Considering the situation, the CyberPeace Foundation along with experts from Autobot Infosec Private Ltd has launched an independent investigation into the matter.
Interestingly the report confirmed “In all the links, the same redirection and outgoing sources were generated. However, in one link, a different URL was found and one new IP address that belongs to one of China’s hosting company Alibaba Cloud,”.
If the URL is manipulated then an error code is displayed in the Chinese language, the report said.
The report further added that the domain names found during the investigation seem to have been registered in China.
Further, the report claimed that “The IP address of the link is 47.75.111.165 and it can be traced to Alibaba Cloud, the city Hong Kong and the country China,”.
The news comes at a time when WhatsApp is asking users to either give their consent to sharing data with Facebook.
If they don’t share the details then they will lose their accounts after February 8.
The conflict is also opposed by AICTE, triggering a heated debate globally, including in India.
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