New Android malware threat can wipe your bank account
**Beware of Albiriox: A New Malware Threat Targeting Android Users**
In a worrying development for Android users, cybersecurity experts at Cleafy have identified a new strain of malware named Albiriox, which poses a significant threat to personal security and finances. This malicious software is designed to infect devices through deceptive download pages that mimic the appearance of legitimate apps on the Google Play Store. Once installed, Albiriox grants cybercriminals full remote control over the infected device, enabling them to drain the owner’s bank accounts without the need for passwords. This alarming capability underscores the importance of being vigilant about app sources and permissions.
The modus operandi of Albiriox is particularly insidious. It exploits fake download links for financial applications hosted on external websites, tricking users into believing they are downloading legitimate software. When users click the download button, the malware activates the “install unknown apps” permission on their devices, allowing it to install additional harmful components without the user’s knowledge. Once fully operational, the malware can execute commands remotely, mimicking user interactions such as swipes and clicks, effectively bypassing traditional security measures. This seamless control enables cybercriminals to swiftly access sensitive financial information and drain bank accounts, leaving victims vulnerable and often unaware of the breach until significant damage has been done.
To protect against such threats, experts advise Android users to exercise caution and avoid downloading financial apps from any source other than the official Google Play Store. While the Play Store is generally safer, it is worth noting that even legitimate apps can harbor malware, as evidenced by a recent report highlighting six malicious apps that were discovered to be recording sensitive user data, including WhatsApp messages and phone calls. Thus, maintaining vigilance and ensuring that app downloads are conducted through trusted platforms is crucial in safeguarding personal information and financial assets in an increasingly digital world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=128WYj_x5Qk
Android
users, be careful about where your apps come from.
That’s because there’s a new and very sinister-sounding kind of malware going around on
Google’s
mobile OS, according to the fraud prevention experts at
Cleafy
(per
Android Authority
). Called Albiriox, the malware has been known to infect users’ devices, giving bad-faith actors full remote control over the device, at which point they drain the device owner’s bank accounts without even needing a password.
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Cleafy goes into the nitty-gritty technical details on how this all works, but a basic summary is that the malware is being hidden in fake (but real-looking) Google Play Store download pages for financial apps on external sites. If you hit the download button on one of these pages, which, again, are not actually in the Play Store proper, you may be letting the malware onto your device. From there, it covertly enables the “install unknown apps” permission in the device settings, at which point the
really
bad stuff gets installed on your device.
From there, the bad actors can fully, remotely control your device without you noticing, performing actions like swipes and clicks from wherever they are. At that point, the hard part is over, and they can get to draining your bank account. It sounds like the best way to avoid this is to simply not download any weird financial apps from places that aren’t the Play Store. If you stick to downloading apps straight from the Play Store app, you should be fine.
That said, even apps on the official Apple App Store and Google Play Store can contain malware, as we’ve reported previously. Last month, we reported on
six malicious Android apps
that were recording user data, including WhatsApp messages, phone calls, and even background audio.
