Srinagar, May 5 (GNS): Pakistani spies have developed a counterfeit version of the Aarogya Setu, the COVID-19 tracking mobile application developed by Government of India, according to an intelligence alert issued to security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.
The malicious application – ArogyaSetu.apk – was found to have been sent to WhatsApp groups of Indian Army Personnel.
“Once a malicious software is installed on a device, it has the ability to extract sensitive information about the forces and send it to the originator without the knowledge of the owner,” reads the alert, asking forces personnel to download the application only from mygov.in or Google Play Store and iOS.
The Aarogya Setu app, which is aimed at “proactively reaching out to and informing the users of the app regarding risks, best practices and relevant advisories pertaining to the containment of COVID-19” has been made mandatory to download for all government and private sector employees.
“The Aaroygya Setu app has close to 90 million downloads till date and is being regularly updated, with a feature like telemedicine being added,” Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant told media on Monday. (GNS)
