New Delhi, August 7: The central government announced on Friday that over 10,000 Indians were protected from a significant malware campaign aimed at hacking WhatsApp accounts, thanks to coordinated actions by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that various measures, including geo-blocking command and control (C2) servers through a collaboration portal, were implemented to mitigate the impact of this cyber attack.
According to the ministry, there has been a sharp increase in complaints related to WhatsApp account takeovers on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) in recent days. These attacks are executed through malware disguised as account statements or official documents from regulatory agencies.
The ministry reported, “Through these coordinated efforts, over 10,000 Indians have been safeguarded from this cyber campaign. Malware-related servers are continuously being blocked via the collaboration portal.”
The MHA noted that such incidents have been reported in several states, including Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. I4C had previously issued an advisory on June 22, warning the public about cyber attacks where perpetrators impersonate government or regulatory officials to seize WhatsApp accounts.
Cybercriminals typically send compressed (.zip) files named “Statement of Account.zip,” “RBI.zip,” or “MCA.zip” via WhatsApp, SMS, or email. In many cases, the file names also include dates to appear more credible.
These messages are crafted to resemble urgent information regarding bank account details, financial documents, or notifications from regulatory bodies, leading individuals to open the files without caution.
The ministry explained, “When a person extracts and opens these zip files on their Windows desktop or laptop, a Trojan malware is installed, compromising the device and hijacking the victim’s active WhatsApp web session.”
Additionally, the ministry reported that in several cases, cybercriminals are sending fake emails claiming to be from the Income Tax Department to confuse individuals.
Once a WhatsApp account is hacked, criminals use it to send the infected files to all of the victim’s contacts and groups. Messages often instruct recipients to “send the file to the company’s finance manager for verification” and to open it on their computers.
According to the government, this method rapidly spreads infection and can sometimes reach corporate networks, posing a significant cybersecurity threat.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has urged citizens not to download or open any unknown or suspicious zip files. If a message is received claiming to be from a bank, RBI, MCA, Income Tax Department, or any other government agency, individuals should verify its authenticity through official channels. In cases of cyber fraud, report immediately to the National Cyber Helpline at 1930 or file a complaint on the official website http://www.cybercrime.gov.in.
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