Malware EventBot and Cerberus Trojan

With the coronavirus spreading worldwide, a smartphone malware on the other hand is spreading rapidly. Malware is infecting your computers and mobile devices steal personal and finance information from your device.  Recently two main malware surrounding a world steal user’s information. Malware name EventBot and Cerberus Trojan.

EventBot

EventBot is a virus or malware that steals a user’s bank related information and mobile information without their permission. The malware spreads through side-loaded apps and gains deep level access to Android phones to extract sensitive data about banking apps. The malware targets financial applications, reads user SMS messages and can even intercept SMS messages.

This virus target over 200 financial apps including banking apps, money transfer services, crypto currency wallets based in the US and European region. Spread across the internet through unofficial app download websites with the key target of stealing your money.

This new malware steals personal and sensitive information according to the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In), the national technology arm to combat cyber-attacks and guard the Indian cyber space.

The CERT-In Sources said,

“It is a mobile-banking Trojan and info-stealer that abuses Android’s in-built accessibility features to steal user data from financial applications, read user SMS messages and intercept SMS messages, allowing malware to bypass two-factor authentication”

The virus “largely targets financial applications like Paypal Business, Revolut, Barclays, UniCredit, CapitalOne UK, HSBC UK, TransferWise, Coinbase, paysafecard etc.,

“Once installed on victim’s Android device, it asks permissions such as controlling system alerts, reading external storage content, installing additional packages, accessing internet, whitelisting it to ignore battery optimization, prevent processor from sleeping or dimming the screen, auto-initiate upon reboot, receive and read SMS messages and continue running and accessing data in the background,” the advisory explained.

Cerberus Trojan

As an update to COVID-19, the virus has been revealed to steal credit card details of many smartphone users and deceive users. The CBI is currently warning of this smartphone virus.

It has been confirmed that this new malicious software virus, Cerberus, steals sensitive financial data on users’ smartphones. The Central Intelligence Agency has warned states, union territories and agencies after receiving Interpol entries. This sabotage is under the name of Coronavirus-related update.

How does this virus affect smartphones?

This virus is a Trojan-type virus. It contacts smartphone users via SMS and tells them to click on a link called Info that provides COVID-19 updates. When users actually click on it as corona security information, that link installs a malicious app on the users’ smartphone.

This malicious application that steals financial data can extract important financial data on the user’s smartphone. In particular, users’ credit card details are extracted, thereby making fake wallets and stealing money from the user’s account. In addition, it has been revealed that this mobile virus is stealing personal information and trying to capture two-factor authentication details.

Phishing in name of Covid -19

It has been reported that this malware can be spread by the usual phishing method. This malicious software exploits the Covid-19 infection to trick users into sending fake Covid-19 related SMS information.  It is noteworthy that this malware coroner infected cyber-attacks on hospitals and healthcare institutions. International police have issued an alert to alert the public about this smartphone virus called Cerberus. You have been warned not to click on uninvited SMS messages on your smartphone and not to click on the link in it.