Beware! Your personal data can be hacked via WhatsApp and Facebook

Social media apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Line etc keeps you connected with the world. But the next question that pops up is ‘Are these apps really safe?’

A report by FireEye stated that a new hacking team - 'Masquee Attack’ can easily steal the data from iOS devices, by cracking the security code via social messaging apps. The new hackers team can rewrite the verified codes of social media and put up pirated versions of multiple apps.

Media reports state that the ‘Masquee Attack’ team can break down around 11 iOS apps, by just adding an extra binary to the official app account. WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, Viber, Blackberry Messenger and Skype basically come with an extra binary designed to enable communication with a remote server.

Non-verified version of social media apps functions exactly in the same way a licensed app works. But these non-verified apps are actually controlled by hackers, which helps hacks to steal the personal data of iOS users. It’s in fact very difficult for a common man to identify whether hackers control the apps running on your handset or not.

At present, iOS users can ensure security is by only installing apps from Apple Store and not by a third-party source. However, if you have the latest iOS 8.1.3 operating system, media reports state that you need not worry about the ‘Masquee Attack’, as the latest version isn’t vulnerable to such hacks.