According to researchers from ESET which is a Slovakia based Cybersecurity company a new malware is said to be on prowl on the web and is said to be targeting those using Android smartphones.
It is a kind of ransomware which encrypts files on mobile phones and is active since July 12 this year.
As per the details available to our Cybersecurity Insiders, the malware is being circulated via X-rated codes embedded into posts and published on Reddit and other developer forums. It is a kind of honey trap which is being laid as attackers are seen luring victims to their domains via posts and v*le comments.
Hackers are seen spreading it in over 42 languages which depends on the victim’s device’s language settings and encrypts all the android files which occupy more than 50MB space in the victim’s phone memory. Only those files ending with an extension of “ Zip, rar, JPEG, JPG and PNG” are being left unencrypted.
The main concern with this malware is that once infected, the malware transmits the virus to all the contacts which are noted on the contacts list of the victim via malicious links.
And as soon as the recipient gets the SMS, he/she trusts the sender and clicks on the link which leads them to an S$# simulator online game along with an auto download of a malicious X-rated app.
Details of the ransom being demanded by the hackers and where and what to be paid are yet to be disclosed to the media.