Telangana government officials have been told to be cautious about phishing attacks in the name of Aarogya Setu mobile application following a cyber security alert sounded after Pakistan-based groups were sending links to take away data of users.
In a note to officials, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department of Telangana said that the alert was issued from the Intelligence Department.
The department said there were "cyber actors" from the neighbouring country initiating a campaign to compromise Android-based smartphones and devices of Indian Defence personnel and government officials.
"They are sending specially crafted messages to these officials through SMS and WhatsApp with a link to click and download a fake Aarogya Setu App," the note read.
"As the user tries to download the app by opening the link, a malicious app (ChatMe) downloads on the device and begins data exfiltration to the servers of the adversary based outside India," it said.
The officials and staff members of the municipal administration and urban development have been requested to be cautious and not to open or download suspected links received on their devices.
Phishing denotes the cyber term of luring and cheating an internet user through a fake SMS or email and thereby breaching their privacy to steal sensitive information.
In the last week of April, the Cyberabad police had advised citizens to download the Aarogya Setu application only from MyGov.in, or Google Play Store and Apple App store, as cyber fraudsters were creating fake applications in the name of Aarogya Setu with a similar name by making minor changes.
Telangana on Monday reported five more deaths and 92 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the toll in the state to 142 and the tally of infections to 3,742.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said that the government was ready to provide appropriate treatment even if the number of COVID-19 cases increased in the state further and asked people not to panic and to take precautions against the coronavirus.
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