Published:
Jan 27, 2023 02:14 GMT
The presence of the dangerous virus was discovered in more than 460 banking applications.
Cybersecurity experts have warned about the proliferation of a new ‘malware’, which mainly attacks Android phones. is able to take full mobile control in real time and even steal the passwords of the applications of bank accounts.
The computer virus, discovered by researchers from the security firm ThreatFabricIt’s called Hook and it’s sold on the ‘dark web’. The countries where most interventions of this type have been reported in banking applications are the US, Spain, Australia and Poland. So far, it has taken control of the credentials of more than 460 financial platforms.
According to experts, this ‘malware’ was created by the same group of hackers that developed Ermac, one of the ‘Trojans’ with the greatest presence on mobile phones, but it has unique characteristics that make it much more dangerous. Among them is the ability to control the affected device remotely, without the user noticing, thanks to the use of the Virtual Network Computing program.
Additionally, Hook can take screenshots, simulate a click on a specific text element and a key press, as well as unlock the device. In addition, the virus can activate a file manager command, allowing cybercriminals to get a list of all the files on the phone and download the ones they deem valuable.
Even the instant messaging application WhatsApp is at risk. Hook can log all messages from the platform, as well as send messages through the affected user’s account.
In order not to fall victim to this powerful virus, experts recommend being careful with what you download and never do it from external sources. In addition to being careful with the permissions that are granted to applications, because once access is given to Hook, it can reach its maximum potential for damage.
