Pakistani users warned of fake links to Signal, Babble, TeleChatty and Filos

• NITB says links to fake Apps include Indian-based malware 'Hawkshaw'.
• Apps identified by NITB include Signal, Babble, TeleChatty, Filos.
• NITB urges Pakistani users to not download any "untrusted APP or APK" app from open source web links.

ISLAMABAD: The National Information Technology Board (NITB) warned citizens on Monday to not download any "fake and malicious apps" as they are "tainted" with "Indian-based malware".

"Links to fake Apps including Signal, Babble, TeleChatty and Filos are tainted with Indian-based malware 'Hawkshaw'," said the NITB in a tweet. 

It urged Pakistani users to not download any "untrusted APP or APK" from open source web links. It advised the users to download the apps from Google Play Store or Apple Store only.

The news about fake apps embedded with malicious software is not new.

Read more: 900,000 hacking incidents occur daily in Pakistan, says IT minister

Last month, Federal Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haque had said that more than 900,000 hacking incidents take place in Pakistan every day.

"Your IT ministry stays awake so that you can sleep peacefully," Haque said.