A warning has been issued to Android phone users about the risk of downloading certain apps. Anyone who has installed the apps in question is being urged to delete them immediately.
Earlier this week it was found that malicious malware called SharkBot has been affecting apps on Google Play. The malware is a banking trojan first discovered in 2018 - it would steal victim's login information, allowing hackers to use their accounts.
The two apps that should be deleted straight away are Mister Phone Cleaner and Kylhavy Mobile Security, the Liverpool Echo reports. They have already been removed from the Google app store.
Speaking to The Express about the malware, Fox-IT's Alberto Segura said: "This new version asks the victim to install the malware as a fake update for the antivirus to stay protected against threats. We have found two SharkBotDropper apps active in Google Play Store, with 10K and 50K installs each of them.
"On the 22nd of August 2022, Fox-IT’s Threat Intelligence team found a new SharkBot sample with version 2.25; communicating with command-and-control servers mentioned previously. This SharkBot version introduced a new feature to steal session cookies from the victims that logs into their bank account."
By using SharkBot, scammers can bypass Google's stringent security credentials and steal money from Android users' online bank accounts. They can also create fake login pages for hackers to steal user names and passwords.
How to delete apps on Android
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- At the top right, tap the profile icon.
- Tap Manage apps and devices.
- Tap the name of the app that you want to delete.
- Tap Uninstall.
