Security company Kaspersky discovered a WhatsApp clone that works like the real app but steals your account in the background.
The app is currently being promoted in other Android apps, such as Snaptube and Vidmate. Called YoWhatsApp, it promises users several additional customization options, including the option to block access to chat conversations.
But in the background, access to your WhatsApp account is forwarded to another server, which makes it technically possible to take over accounts. It is not clear whether this also occurs in practice. Kaspersky notes that such attempts can be used to register accounts with all sorts of payment services.
The good news is that the app isn’t just in the Play Store. Whoever wants to download it must explicitly download the APK file from outside. In general, it is recommended to download apps, especially from the Google Play Store.
Although that system is not watertight either, malicious apps are often detected and removed more quickly.
