25 million users hit with virus that hides in WhatsApp and install malicious apps on your Android phone

A new malware, dubbed “Agent Smith” has been affecting 25 million Android users.

Named after the iconic villain from The Matrix film, the malware replaces apps such as WhatsApp with fake ones that generate ad revenue for the owners of the program.

Countries like UK, US and Australia have been impacted but it has mainly affected users in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Users were alerted about the Android security threat by experts at Check Point in their blog post.

The malware disguises itself as a Google related application and automatically replaces installed apps on the phone with malicious versions without the user’s knowledge.

Financial information can be stolen and your activity on your smartphone can be tracked.

The Agent Smith malware is not spread via the official Google Play Store but via 9apps.com, China’s Alibaba’s third-party app store.

If you have been affected by the Agent Smith Android threat then here’s how you can remove any malicious apps on your Android.

– Go to Settings Menu

– Click on Apps or Application Manager

– Scroll to the suspected app and uninstall it

– If it can’t be found then remove all recently installed apps