New image scheme: WhatsApp users around the world are facing a new dangerous scheme in which hackers can access phones through images and steal personal information and OTPs.
According to Khaleej Times, this scheme is difficult for ordinary people to immediately identify because it does not use traditional fraud methods. Hackers send images on WhatsApp from unknown numbers with harmless messages like “Hello” or “Good morning”, in which malware is hidden through steganography.
Steganography is a technique through which confidential data is hidden inside an image or file that becomes active upon reaching a specific system. As soon as the user downloads such an image, the malware can be installed on his mobile and give hackers control of the phone.
Through this control, hackers can not only access sensitive information stored in the phone but also view OTPs, messages and other data, which can lead to financial fraud or identity theft.
Experts have warned users to take precautions to protect themselves from this scheme. Turn off automatic image downloads, ignore messages from unknown numbers, update phone software regularly, and use a reliable antivirus to prevent hacking.