These Fake Android File Manager Apps Steal Banking Logins
Android device owners warned: More malware has been discovered in the Google Play Store. The Bitdefender cybersecurity team claims that several malicious Android file manager apps infect Android devices with Sharkbot banking malware. These fake apps are no longer available in the store, but they may still be on your phone. Screenshots of the store pages show that thousands of Android users have downloaded this malware
As Bleeping Computer explains, SharkBot malware attempts to hijack bank accounts by displaying fake login forms in addition to legitimate login requests detected in banking applications. If you enter your username and password in a fake form, it will be sent to a hacker, who can use it to hack into your account and steal your money.
In September, we warned about Sharkbot malware posing as a phone cleaner. Now, threat actors have moved on to file management software. One such app (no longer available on Google Play) is X-File Manager, with over 10,000 downloads.
After downloading the application, users should not have any doubts. The app requires several invasive permissions, including reading and writing to external storage, installing and uninstalling packages, and accessing account details. But it is a file manager. This means that it requires more permissions than the average productivity app.
Finally, the program downloads a malicious payload and prompts the user to install an update. In fact, the user installs the SharkBot malware.
According to Bitdefender, the campaign is specifically targeting users in the United Kingdom and Ireland. If the software detects a SIM card from these regions, it will download malware The banking apps targeted by the campaign include Barclays, Bank of Ireland Mobile Banking, Santander Mobile Banking and HSBC UK Mobile Banking.
Other apps that Bitdefender claims to have infected Android devices include FileVoyager, Phone AID, Cleaner, Booster, and LiteCleaner M. If you have any of these apps on your Android device, remove them ASAP
Also Read : 4 Malicious Android Apps Found on Google Play
