It seems that almost every week there is a new malware threat for mobile users, especially for those who use Android. What if we tell you that many of these new threats are not really new at all?
According to Dr. The Web, anti-malware software, and security research organization have seen a significant increase in the use of a number of known malware threats hidden in rogue applications in the Google Play Store. These apps ranged from hiding background ads and stealing notification data, to automatically signing people up for subscription services.
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Some of the apps also included fake versions of popular app modes, such as Facebook and WhatsApp. However, a good portion of them is mostly distributed through SEO Poisoning and social engineering methods to trick people into downloading and loading them as APKs.
A good portion of the malware appears to have been targeted at Russian-speaking users, as some screen footage provided by Dr. The web includes fake financial applications aimed at investing in natural gas and energy of Russian companies. Others were only hidden in applications that claimed to provide image editing software, media players, and navigation software.
One such application that has been found to have subscription malware is known as Top Navigator. Fortunately, it has already been removed from the Play Store, but not before it has been downloaded over 500,000 times! This application has the ID com.navigatorcitiproject.topnavigation, so if you find that it is installed on your Android, be sure to remove it from your device.
As reported by Hot Hardware, much of this malware also included ways to allow screen capture or interception of notifications to steal private information, such as 2FA codes, one-time passwords, and other security information. On top of that, interceptions of WhatsApp messages, Keyloggers and more were there. The total list of malware discovered by Dr. The web has a number of names we have here:
- Android.Spy
- Android HiddenAds
- Android.MobiDash
- Program.FakeAntiVirus
- Program.SecretVideoRecorder
- Program.KeyStroke
- Program.WapSniff
- Program.FreeAndroidSpy
- Tool.SilentInstaller
- Tool.Loic
- Adware.AdPush
- Adware.SspSdk
- Adware.Myteam
- Android.FakeApp
- Android.PWS.Facebook
- Android.Subscription
It is a multitude of variations in malware, and according to Dr. On the Web, one in five apps installed on Android systems probably has malware. So what can you do now? As we have advised you before, be sure to read the reviews of the applications before downloading them. Double-check malicious websites, don’t load unsafe APKs and be careful in general. Some malware is particularly inconvenient and may only be eradicated by completely erasing all data from your device, which you probably won’t like at all.
