We are all accustomed to hearing news about malware creeping in the Google Play Store and manifesting Android apps. These viruses range in their intensity and can do everything from accessing the device owner's Facebook or compromising it completely.
Luckily, Google is proactive in this regard and kicks out the loopholes as soon as they are discovered on their platform.
However, a recent discovery by security research firm, Malwarebytes makes us question Android security protocol as well as worry about the safety of our devices and stored data.
According to a report by Malwarebytes, their latest finding has the ability to bypass all defenses including factory reset. Called the xHelper, researchers detected this malware in some 33,000 U.S. devices and regarded it as a major threat to Android devices.
Symantec also agreed with the findings by Malwarebytes and said that the malicious Android app can hide from the users, download other ‘bad actors’, and even install itself back if users manually uninstall it. They further acknowledged the app’s ability to create a problematic situation for users that includes a complete takeover of the device, data theft, and phishing attack.
Recently, Malwarebytes issued a detailed report in this regard and highlighted their experiment with this specific malware.
As of this writing, researchers were unable to identify the source of the malware. However, an investigation is underway and until then, security experts recommend Android users to update their software regularly and avoid downloading apps from untrustworthy sites.
Featured Photo: Gettyimages
Read next: Hundreds of Google Chrome Browser Extensions Revealed to be Spreading Malware for a Decade
Luckily, Google is proactive in this regard and kicks out the loopholes as soon as they are discovered on their platform.
However, a recent discovery by security research firm, Malwarebytes makes us question Android security protocol as well as worry about the safety of our devices and stored data.
According to a report by Malwarebytes, their latest finding has the ability to bypass all defenses including factory reset. Called the xHelper, researchers detected this malware in some 33,000 U.S. devices and regarded it as a major threat to Android devices.
Symantec also agreed with the findings by Malwarebytes and said that the malicious Android app can hide from the users, download other ‘bad actors’, and even install itself back if users manually uninstall it. They further acknowledged the app’s ability to create a problematic situation for users that includes a complete takeover of the device, data theft, and phishing attack.
Recently, Malwarebytes issued a detailed report in this regard and highlighted their experiment with this specific malware.
As of this writing, researchers were unable to identify the source of the malware. However, an investigation is underway and until then, security experts recommend Android users to update their software regularly and avoid downloading apps from untrustworthy sites.
Featured Photo: Gettyimages
Read next: Hundreds of Google Chrome Browser Extensions Revealed to be Spreading Malware for a Decade
