This can be done if you downloaded one of the malicious apps identified by Meta

Are you one of those people who download apps without verifying the authenticity of the app and let them know your social media credentials? Well, Meta, in charge of Facebook and Instagram, revealed that your account may have information stolen by hackers.

In a report released this Friday, the company warned that those who downloaded or used certain mobile applications that appeared to be real may have been targeted for password theft to enter the social network.

Facebook detects 400 applications for iOS and Android that steal user credentials

“We’re going to tell a million people that they may have been exposed to these apps – which doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve been hacked,” David Agranovich, a director of Meta’s cybersecurity teams, said during a press conference.

The report mentions that they found more than 400 malicious Android and iOS apps that were designed to steal Facebook login information and thus compromise people’s accounts. Some of these were hidden in photo editor applications, VPNs, games, among others.

Meta explained that these malware apps were disguised as apps with fun or useful features. To cover up the negative reviews, the developers posted fake reviews for others to download.

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“When a person installs the malicious app, it may ask them to “Sign in with Facebook” before they can use the promised features. If they enter their credentials, the malware steals their username and password,” the report detailed.

The company urged users to be suspicious before installing an app or using it if it asks you to log in to Facebook to remove ads. In the same way, check the downloads, ratings and reviews, both positive and negative. Also if it fulfills the promised functions.

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What to do if your account was affected?

Meta recommends that if you believe you have downloaded a malicious app and logged in with your social media account details, uninstall the app from your device immediately and follow the instructions below to secure your accounts:

• Create a new strong password. Never use the same password for different services or websites.
• Turn on two-step authentication, preferably using an authenticator app, to add an extra layer of security to your account.
• Turn on login alerts to be notified if someone is trying to access your account. Be sure to review previous sessions to ensure that you recognize the devices that have access to your account.

What are the applications flagged as malicious?

These are the Android apps that were identified as malicious:

These are the apps flagged as malicious on iOS: