Android Malware Will Never Die
The open nature of Android Operating System is what makes it hugely popular among users. Unfortunately, it’s the same open natured-ness which makes the operating system an easy target for hackers as well. A recent study revealed that U.S. Alone has about 107.7 million people using Android smartphones. If these results are anything to go by, it serves as a strong indication that Android malware are here to stay. In other words, it suggests that Android malware will never die.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five types of android malware you need to watch out for:
1. GhostCtrl: GhostCrtl, an Android malware which disguises itself as apps like WhatsApp and Pokemon Go and thereby infects various Android devices hit the news only recently. So far three versions of this malware have been detected. One steals personal information. The second one behaves like a ransomware and freezes victim’s smartphone. And the final one seems to be the combination of the first two.
2. Copycat: Another malware to surface recently is Copycat, which, disguising itself as a popular app found in third-party stores, infiltrates various Android devices out there. Once it takes over the device, this malware successfully roots the smartphone and disables its security system. Injecting the malware code into Zygote – a daemon responsible for launching apps in the Android OS – Copycat takes control of any activity on the compromised device.
Sources suggest that the hackers have generated nearly $ 1.5 million in fake ad revenues using Copycat in nearly 60 days. It is being suggested that devices with operating system Android 5.0 or older are still vulnerable to this malware.
3. SpyDealer: This malware steals personal data of users from more than 40 popular mobile device apps like Skype, Facebook, WhatsApp, Firefox browser etc. By exploiting the Android Operating System’s accessibility feature, it spies on victims’ call history, contacts, and Wi-Fi information. Three variants of SpyDealer are currently active with the first variant rearing its head way back in October 2015.
4. Dvmap: Disguising itself as a puzzle game “Colourblock”, this malware, when downloaded, injects the malicious code into the Android device’s system library and eliminates the root-detection software responsible for identifying malevolent programs. It is being estimated that Dvmap has been downloaded more than 50,000 times from Google Play Store since March.
5. Marcher: Posing as Adobe Flash Player update, this malware can rob login credentials from at least 40 different retail, social media and banking apps. Marcher made its appearance as the fraudulent version of Super Mario Run for Android devices. It can also steal user sensitive information by producing fake login pages for popular third-party apps like TD Bank, Google, Paypal, CitiBank etc.,
Considering the rampant Android malware attacks, it is becoming obvious that the various Android malware(s) surfacing every now and then will never die. At best, they’ll become dormant, only to resurface again. Therefore it is the responsibility of Android users to secure their devices with security solutions like Comodo Mobile Antivirus for Android and safeguard them from ever-evolving malware threats. Although the android malware can never be killed, it can surely be tamed by employing the right security solutions. This is something every Android user should bear in mind.
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