MUSKAN THAKUR
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 1: In a fresh advisory that should send every smartphone user reaching for their settings menu, Jammu and Kashmir Police has flagged a dangerous new wave of malicious applications masquerading as harmless entertainment and lifestyle apps - warning that they could be handing cybercriminals the keys to your device, and your bank account, without you ever knowing it.
The advisory names a cluster of suspicious apps circulating under titles such as "Night Play," "Reloop," "Kyss," "Vimo," "Rivo," "Nexo" and "Vixa," along with a growing list of copycat variants designed to look equally innocuous. Police warn that users who stumble onto these apps are often redirected to third-party websites urging them to download APK files - installation packages that bypass the security checks of official app stores like Google Play entirely.
That single click, officials caution, can be the beginning of a digital nightmare. Once installed, these rogue apps are capable of exploiting Accessibility permissions - a feature meant to assist users with disabilities - to seize near-total control of the infected device. From there, cybercriminals can operate silently in the background, potentially executing unauthorised financial transactions and siphoning funds straight out of victims' accounts, all while the user remains none the wiser.
The warning underscores a growing trend of cybercriminals weaponising legitimate Android features against unsuspecting users, using deceptive app names and slick redirect websites to lure victims away from the relative safety of verified app stores.
Police have urged citizens to exercise extreme caution - avoiding APK downloads from unknown links, scrutinising app permissions before installation, and steering clear of apps not vetted by official platforms.
Anyone who suspects they have fallen victim to such a scam has been advised to act immediately: call the national cybercrime helpline at 1930, or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. |
