A warning message cautioning internet users in India about what is being termed as ‘Dance of Hillary’ virus is going viral on WhatsApp. As per reports, this virus targets users’ sensitive information and that it is being spread through platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Telegram. However, a separate report suggests that this message is a hoax and that it’s just resurfacing on WhatsApp.
Dance of Hillary virus message is a hoax
- According to a report by Times Now News, malicious hackers have reportedly launched a virus dubbed as ‘Dance of Hillary’ that targets users’ personal and financial information.
- The report also says that the Indian intelligence agencies have sounded an alert against this virus cautioning users that it spreads infected videos and documents shared on social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook.
- Furthermore, the report says that users should watch out for file names ending with ‘.exe’ such as ‘tasksche.exe’ as they may contain malicious code that can give hackers access to all of users’ data.
- However, Sunny Nehra, founder of cyber-security firm Secure Your Hacks, in a post on X has said that the Dance of Hillary warning message is a hoax and that it has resurfaced on WhatsApp.
- In his post, Nehra explains that smartphones cannot execute exe files or the files ending with ‘.exe’ extension as this file format is specific to Windows operating system.
- He also says that ‘tasksche.exe’ is a well known file indicator to all anti-virus companies and that it would easily get detected by any anti-virus software including Windows Defender or Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which is a built-in antivirus and anti-malware solution for Windows PCs.
How can WhatsApp users stay safe from any online threat?
Here are some general guidelines that internet users can follow to safeguard themselves from any online threat:
- Turn off automatic downloads on all social media platforms.
- Do don’t download files from unknown senders.
- Use two-factor authentication for all apps and use a complex string of characters in your passwords.
- Don’t use the same password for multiple platforms.
- Download and use only the latest versions of apps and other software.
- Regularly backup your data.
- Don’t share passwords and OTPs with anyone.
