Hackers target India's defense, intelligence personnel via WhatsApp

Indian security forces have been alerted by central intelligence agencies that a WhatsApp virus is threatening to hack into their personal information and banking data.

Two malicious files circulating on the messaging platform falsely bears the names of elite organisations like NDA and NIA, the Press Trust of India reported.

Officials in the know have reportedly said that 'NDA' points towards the army's National Defence Academy and 'NIA' is the National Investigation Agency — India's leading terrorist incidents' probe organisation.

Defense personnel, including the army, paramilitary as well as police forces, have been warned that their login data and bank PIN numbers could be at stake.

They have also been told to report any untoward incidents to the government's IT cell.

In October last year, more than 3.2 million debit cards, including ATM pins, were compromised when an offshore hacker made an unauthorized access to one of India's leading bank's servers.

But the recent WhatsApp virus seems to be specifically targeting the country's defense forces.