WhatsApp users, beware of this Android app that recovers delete messages

Nobody likes to read the “This message was deleted” prompt. There are apps that help you recover such messages, including one of the most popular known as WAMR. The WAMR app is available on the Google Play Store and allows users to recover deleted text messages and any deleted media.

WAMR currently has over 50 million installs. It requires the phone to run at least Android 5 and have at least 16MB of free space. The developer “drilens” explains that the app does not access WhatsApp chats as they are encrypted. However, it keeps a track of notifications via the notification logs, so if a message is deleted, the app accesses the notification history and recovers the message. The app also try to save the media, however, that is a bit difficult as most users do not keep automatic media download turned on.

Experts are now warning users against the WAMR app as it is risking their online privacy.

According to a new report by a security newspaper, cybersecurity experts from the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS), the WAMR app is a risky app to use, considering that it requires access to multiple settings. The app currently requires access to the Gallery, Network, and Notifications, all of which increase the risk of a data leak.

While the report states that the app is currently not “malicious,” it does warn people about the app’s access to Notifications could give away any sensitive data. This is a major security risk according to the researchers. The report states “users who install this app [WAMR] need to grant you extensive permissions, which could compromise data operated by other apps, files stored in the device’s memory, Internet search histories, and even the device users’ contact list.”

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