Bitdefender Guards Instant Messengers

Instant messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Discord, provide consumers a messaging alternative to SMS text message. Today, they are also used in business context as companies look to interact using customers’ preferred channels. As convenient as these apps are, malware and scams sent via instant messaging apps and SMS text message remain a top threat to mobile users – and, by extension, businesses. This trend has continued from 2021 which saw spam and untrusted domains account for a combined 85% of detected malicious URLs, according to the 2021 Bitdefender Consumer Threat Landscape Report.

Taking this information, Bitdefender developed real-time chat protection capabilities for mobile-based instant messaging applications through Bitdefender Chat Protection. These capabilities immediately alert users if malicious links are received or sent during live sessions over popular chat applications and help protect users from increased cybercriminal activities targeting mobile devices.

When users receive a suspicious link in messaging applications, notifications or text messages, Chat Protection notifies them to prevent accessing or sharing the link. However, if a potentially dangerous link is shared, Chat Protections gives users the options to recall or delete the message. Bitdefenders also recognizes and flags phishing attempts that rely on human curiosity, urgency and impersonation, adding a layer of protection.

“Mobile threats continue to increase, and cybercriminals have evolved beyond email-based phishing attacks to include SMS text messages 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.”

Chat Protection, now available, is incorporated into Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android through Bitdefender Scam Alert technology. The technology monitors, detects and stops link-based attacks delivered via messaging applications, notifications and SMS text messages.