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What are the most dangerous malware for cell phones and how to protect yourself

Google announced that last year it prevented 1.2 million apps that violated its policies from reaching Google Play (photo: Applicantes)
Google announced that last year it prevented 1.2 million apps that violated its policies from reaching Google Play (photo: Applicantes)

The mobile is the operations center where all kinds of valuable information is stored: from photos to emails through messages and much more. Keeping this type of device secure is key to not losing information or exposing yourself to other types of computer attacks.

Here are some of the most common types of malware on Android phones, according to an investigation by Eset:

Ransomware

It is a type of malicious code that locks the device and in many cases also encrypts the files on the device. The attacker asks the victim to pay a ransom to access the material that was encrypted and thus made inaccessible.

Researchers have identified some of these Android ransomware in recent years, including the one hiding behind a fake COVID-19 contact-tracing app targeting users in Canada. They have also identified a campaign that distributed malware that spread using the contact list of its victims, to whom it sent an SMS with malicious links.

Banking Trojans

In this case, the attack is focused on the theft of credentials from online banking platforms and many times they are even able to evade two-step authentication systems.

Once the app is installed, the malware performs a series of actions on the device and activates functionality that allows it to steal banking credentials and also the seed phrase or recovery key of wallets of cryptocurrencies.

All this information is sent to the attacker’s server. One that has generated a great impact in recent times is FluBot, which mainly affected Spain and other European countries, according to specialists.

In the case of remote access Trojans, the attacker has access to all the information on the computer (Photo: Pixabay)
In the case of remote access Trojans, the attacker has access to all the information on the computer (Photo: Pixabay)

RATs (Remote Access Trojans)

The objective of this type of programs is to spy on the victim’s device by following the commands sent by the attacker remotely. In these cases, the attack can take place, for example, by means of keyloggers that record each keystroke, or any other way of intercepting the communication between the computer and the different applications. This type of program is even capable of stealing banking credentials or taking photos or videos of the victims without their knowledge.

What to do if the computer was infected

If the computer was infected, then it is convenient to check if there are no hidden applications on the computer. For that you have to activate the safe mode of the equipment.

The first step is to press the power button until the option appears “Safe Mode”. In some models, when you press the shutdown button, the Shutdown option appears and you have to press there again until the aforementioned legend appears and then click on that option again.

Then you have to go to Setting o Settings and there enter Applications. You will see a list with all the download apps. You have to check if you find any with a strange name or that you don’t remember having downloaded and delete it.

Before removing any application, Beforehand, it is convenient to do a search on reliable sites to verify that a useful service is not being deleted.

Keep in mind that this technique may or may not work. Everything will depend on the type of malware installed and the technique used by the cyber attacker. In any case, after having carried out these steps, if it is suspected that the equipment is still affected, it is advisable to consult a specialist.

How to prevent these attacks

1. Only download apps from official store, which for Android is Google Play. It should be noted that Google announced that last year it prevented 1.2 million apps that violated its policies from reaching Google Play, and that it took other actions aimed at disrupting malicious apps. In this sense, one of the great precautionary measures when it comes to taking care of the mobile is to avoid downloading apps outside the official stores.

2. Keep the operating system up to date to make sure you have all the security patches.

3. Have a backup of the information in the cloud, in case the equipment is eventually damaged, so as not to lose any type of information.

4. Have a security solution to strengthen care.

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