Android users might have been getting a few notifications lately about security updates that seem a bit out of the way. And apparently, it's because they are bad news.
According to TechRadar, a specific malware disguised as an Android security update has been tricking people into installing it onto their own devices.
This malware, called FluBot, has been making the rounds lately.
A new warning by the computer emergency response team Cert NZ from New Zealand states that Android users should be wary of going to the FluBot installation page. That's because it's been redesigned to trick people into feeling a sense of urgency, thereby making them install the malware unknowingly.
This is what the FluBot installation page now says to trick people into installing the malware, according to BleepingComputer:
"Your device is infected with the FluBot® malware. Android has detected that your device has been infected."
Many Android users in New Zealand have fallen victim to the FluBot scheme, prompting the warning from Cert NZ.
A lot of Android users have been receiving fake notifications recently that lead them to unknowingly installing malware on their devices.
Unbeknownst to these Android users, FluBot is a type of spyware designed to steal sensitive data, such as passwords and login credentials for financial accounts.
This is one of the latest malware to infect Android devices during the past few weeks.
It's worth noting that in late September, there were also reports of a Trojan called GriftHorse, which managed to infect 200 apps that can, for some reason, bypass Google Play Store's security.
How This Android Malware Has Changed Tactics
This specific type of Android malware has previously used a different tactic to infect devices.
Until recently, it was only able to spread to smartphones using spam messages, as well as stolen contacts from other infected devices. Once the malware has infiltrated the device the first time, it even tries to convince victims into giving it additional permissions.
Among the critical things it can infiltrate is the Android Accessibility service.
That's where most of the bad things begin, because FluBot can now run in the background and do all of its dirty work under users' noses. By the time the malware is detected, it has already done a lot of damage.
How To Protect Against It
This type of Android malware tries to break in by sending users notifications, as mentioned earlier. The safest thing you can do is just disregard the notification and never, ever click it or any link on it.
Furthermore, do not download anything.
Another way to keep your Android device protected is to make sure that you only download apps which are verified authentic by Google Play Store.
This is similar to the modus operandi of another malware called SOVA, which managed to infect shopping, banking, and crypto wallet apps used by US and Spain customers.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
