Hackers attacked Viber: how to protect yourself from them

1 August 2024 20:00

Cybercriminals are trying to hack users’ Viber accounts by sending them fake notifications. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" reports with reference to the [0]=AZWseaBQqF4XIXW-F1oB3I3d8_7UOp6W1W1m6RfjHEwv8GLSB7YMijSyB8Cz2hCBfDwjvVpCCwti3mNUL9D50e_Yq9nDbHZNXQI1x7fBXpmQoHLKLTKADjUzP9g0MiIv_65T7PG_1llSUowG7hqKI5snjM7V3YJPFCgOIS7exmOhCDkpbBEbjzKUua0wM7NUrPTDsJ8BJgNGhH_WnlqutoLU&__tn__=,O,P-R”>became known that Viber had detected suspicious activity and blocked the hacking attempts.

“People received such messages due to the activity of attackers aimed at creating an additional load on our infrastructure. Viber detected this suspicious activity and blocked the attempts. As we are a global platform with hundreds of millions of users, such malicious attempts are part of our daily work and are nothing new. There’s no reason to worry,” the messenger’s representatives said.

Viber messenger: how to use it safely

Digital Security Lab experts

set up two-factor authentication;

provide an up-to-date email address;

check open sessions on devices and end them.

How to protect yourself from hackers’ mailings on Viber

According to the Centre for Strategic Communications, the following steps are required to use the application safely:

Select the Advanced menu and configure the following items:

Settings – Calls and messages – set the toggle switch opposite “Blocking unknown callers”

* to “set” or “unset” the toggle means to press the switch next to the option. If it is purple, the function is enabled, if it is transparent, the function is not active.

Settings – General – Use proxy server

Configure the Privacy tab as follows:

select the checkbox next to “Automatic spam check”
uncheck the box next to “Peer-to-peer communication”
check the box next to “Requests“
control who can add you to groups – go to “Groups settings ” and tick the box next to “My contacts”
uncheck the box next to “Suggest friends”
Personal data – uncheck the boxes next to “Collect analytics”, “Allow content personalisation ” and “Allow precise geolocation services”

How to download and use apps safely

To ensure the safety of personal data and devices, Ukrainians are advised to follow the following rules for downloading applications
use only licensed software from trusted sources (Play Market, App Gallery, App Store and Google Play stores or official developer websites). Pay attention to who published the app, as some stores have dubious copies of popular apps. Russian viruses are now often spread through “pirated” apps;
do not download apps from unknown sources;
if you cannot buy a paid version of an app, you can find a free analogue. But do not download cracked versions of paid apps: they usually contain malicious code;
choose to prohibit the installation of applications from unverified sources and automatic file downloads. If a person accidentally follows a link that automatically starts the download process, it will not start until the user confirms it;
avoid using applications from Russian developers: VK, Odnoklassniki, Yandex.Browser, 1C, Mail.ru and others – Russians can track them. Before downloading, be sure to check the information about the developer and owner of the application and whether it is banned in Ukraine;
control the permissions requested by the application during installation. Not all applications require access to geolocation or personal information of the user for normal operation;
update applications on your smartphone.