Security News > 2023 > July > Meta’s Threads app used as a lure

Threads - whose full name is "Threads, an Instagram app" - is an app created by Meta's Instagram team and to use it you have to have an Instagram account.

Even though the app is unavailable for download in official European Android and iOS app stores, there are ways around that roadblock.

Apps exploiting the Threads brand have been popping up on Apple's App Store, confusing users into downloading them.

There's no mention of it being outright malicious, but the developer did misuse the Threads brand to make the app more "Downloadable".

Researchers with cybersecurity startup Veriti are also warning about "Over 700 domains related to Threads being registered daily" in recent weeks, offering an Android version of the app for download outside of Google's official app store - often from a cloud-based file hosting service such as MediaFire or third-party app stores.

Official app stores should be the preferred sources - though, as seen in the above example, even they can harbor unwanted or malicious lookalikes, so you should make sure the Threads app you're downloading comes from Meta/Instagram and not third-party developers.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/14/threads-app-lure/