Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the cybercrime wing of the Hyderabad Police have cautioned public about phishing links and APK files disguised as war-related news updates. These cyber attacks, the police said are targeting Indian government agencies, military personnel and critical infrastructure to gain unauthorised access to sensitive information.
According to the police, attackers are circulating fake content — videos, images, APKs and .exe files — via WhatsApp, Telegram and other social media platforms and also emails. These files often come appear as breaking news, leaked war footage or urgent updates, but contain malware designed to steal personal data, hack bank and social media accounts.
Malware has been embedded in files named “Dance of the Hillary”, “Army_Job_Application_Form.pdf” and “tasksche.exe”, while fake APK files labelled as “live war updates” are being circulated.
Once downloaded, these programmes compromise devices and mine sensitive information, with some designed to mimic official government portals to extract login credentials.
The police warned users not to open or forward suspicious files, even if shared by trusted contacts. Users are being asked to avoid downloading unofficial apps or clicking on forwarded links.
Citizens are requested to disable media auto-download in WhatsApp, turn on two-step verification, and report suspicious content immediately — either to WhatsApp directly or via the national cybercrime reporting portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in). Email users are advised to not click on unknown attachments, watch out for fake email IDs, and always double-check sources before reacting.
With cyber hygiene now as crucial as physical security, the police have advised people to stick to verified news outlets, update antivirus software, back up critical data, and verify all forwarded information before sharing.
Published – May 10, 2025 05:54 pm IST
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