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Cybersecurity firm Bitdefender has launched a new tool that provides real-time chat protection for mobile instant messaging applications.
The tool, called Bitdefender Chat Protection, apparently warns users if malicious links are received or sent during live sessions about the world’s most popular chat software, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram and Discord.
The tool works through Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android, the consumer-facing platform tool for monitoring, detecting, and stopping link-based attacks delivered through messaging applications, notifications, and text messages.
How does it work?
The solution continuously monitors chat sessions and alerts users to suspicious links that could attempt to steal financial data, login credentials, or other sensitive information.
When malicious links are detected during chat sessions, the user receives a warning along with information about the associated risks and a suggested action.
If warnings are ignored, the built-in web protection technologies prevent the user from navigating to the malicious web page.
For example, if users receive a suspicious link through their messaging applications, notifications, or text messages, they will be notified to prevent access or sharing of the link.
If a potentially dangerous link is inadvertently shared, users also have the option to retrieve or delete the message.
In addition, Bitdefender claims that the new tool can detect phishing attempts that rely on human curiosity, urgency, and impersonation.
“Mobile threats continue to increase and cybercriminals have evolved beyond email-based phishing attacks to include text messaging (smishing) and popular instant messaging applications,” said Ciprian Istrate, senior vice president of operations, Consumer Solutions Group at Bitdefender.
“With the new capabilities in Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android, users can rest easy and chat safely, knowing they have strong, real-time protection against malware, malicious links and scams on their Android devices.”
The tool is already available to current and new customers and can be purchased from bitdefender.com or Google Play Store.
The news comes as messenger apps continue to be a popular endpoint used by cyber criminals to gain access to systems.
A recent report from Armorblox found that an unknown threat actor masquerading as WhatsApp targeted nearly 30,000 endpoints and managed to bypass Microsoft and Google email security filters.
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