TikTok Link Being Shared On WhatsApp Is Malware: Maharashtra Cyber Cell Advisory

After the central government’s immediate response to the campaign “AatmaNirbhar” by banning 59 Chinese originated mobile apps, hackers have found a new way to get hold of Tiktokers’ mobile data and corrupt it using a malware. 

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TikTok Pro Malware, which could steal information available on the phone of the user who accesses this link with a click. This link is recently got widely spread through Whatsapp as a fake APK file, reports Maharashtra Cyber Cell. Indians who are keen to get TikTok back on their phone after the ban are the targeted audience who are vulnerable to this malware.

This is nothing but the initiation of a new scam by taking advantage of people’s urge to get their favourite Chinese apps like Shein, TikTok, Club Factory, ShareIt, and many more after they got banned in India. The objective is to breach privacy and corrupt one’s confidential data available on their phone.

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The Maharashtra government has already issued an advisory note cautioning users against this malware app as it is going to steal sensitive information from their phone. The TikTok Pro Malware app has a similar interface like that of original TikTok and it does ask for permission to access the camera, image gallery, mic, and other input-output intensive hardware-software components available in a smartphone. 

The Maharashtra Cyber Cell issued the advisory note by tweeting about this new TikTok scam. The government issued advisory says that the malware originators are now taking the advantage of desperate TikTok users by promoting a malware app called as TikTok Pro.

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The app description in the message vaguely reads, “Enjoy TikTok videos and also make creative videos again. Now TikTok is only available in (Tiktok pro) So Download from below: Link.” Apart from not clicking on any unverified links or downloading APKs of banned applications, the cyber cell has also suggested users to delete such forwarded messages and refrain from forwarding it further.

Furthermore, to add knowledge the cell stated that any link which starts with ‘Http://’ is considered as not secure for communication of private and sensitive information. The department spokesperson told, “Ensure that every link you click on begins with https://. Lastly, always double-check if the app is listed on Google Play store and read the reviews before pressing the ‘Install’ button. ” 

The Maharastra Cyber Cell concluded the story by stating TikTok Pro is not available on the Google play store. Hence it is not fit for use via downloading through any external link.

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