Chinese hackers stealing mobile data via WhatsApp groups, says Indian Army

Chinese intelligence units and hackers are using popular messaging app WhatsApp to hack into mobiles phones in India, warns a video posted by the Indian Army.

The cautioning video posted by the Indian Army comes months after the Home Ministry had warned soldiers on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC) against usage of apps developed by Chinese firms.

The video, a little over a minute long, has been titled WhatsApp is a new medium of hacking: take a look.

“The Chinese use all kinds of platforms to penetrate your digital world,” warns the Indian Army

According to the video, Chinese intelligence units and hackers are penetrating into WhatsApp groups to extract data.

सजग रहे,सतर्क रहें,सुरक्षित रहें।#भारतीयसेना सोशल मीडिया उचित एवं नियमबद्ध एकाउंट को प्रोत्साहित करता है। हैकिंग जोरो पर है, उनके लिए जो असावधान हैं। अपने सोशल मीडिया को हमेशा चेक करें। व्यक्तिगत एवं ग्रुप एकाउंट के बारे में सावधान रहें, सुरक्षित रहें। @DefenceMinIndia @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/YQbdVFsmWe

— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) March 18, 2018

“Chinese numbers starting with +86 barge into your groups and start extracting all the data,” says the Indian Army.

To prevent data and mobile from being hacked by Chinese intelligence units and hackers the Indian Army asks all users to start checking their groups for +86 numbers and do regular audits of the members.

“All contacts in the group should be saved by names and all unknown number should be scrutinised,” the video suggests.

The Indian Army also suggests users to inform group admins immediately on changing a number.

“Destroy the SIM card if you change the number and Delete WhatsApp on the number,” the video further suggests.