New Delhi: Globally, 3.38 crore attacks of malware, adware and riskware on mobile devices were blocked in the year 2023, which is 50 percent more than in 2022. This has been said in a new report released.
Researchers analyzed three new dangerous Android malware variants – Tambir, Dwfone and Gigabud. According to global cybersecurity company Kaspersky, the malicious programs from Tambir, Dwfone and Gigabud have a variety of features that compromise user privacy and security, including downloading other programs and stealing credentials, bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA) and screen recording.
Jornt van der Wiel, senior security researcher at Kaspersky’s GREAT, said Android malware and riskware activity increased in 2023 after two years of relative calm and returned to 2021 levels by the end of the year.
According to the report, Tambir is a spyware application that targets users in Turkey. It describes itself as an IPTV app. It collects sensitive user information like SMS messages and keystrokes, after obtaining appropriate permissions.
Dwfone, discovered in November 2023, targets cell phones from Chinese companies and mainly targets the Russian market. The malware is distributed as a component of a system update application and collects information about the device as well as personal data.
Gigabud is active from mid-2022. It initially focused on stealing banking credentials from users in Southeast Asia, but later expanded to other countries such as Peru. Researchers said it has since evolved into a fake loan malware capable of simulating screen recording and user tapping to bypass 2FA.
Viel said that users should exercise caution and avoid downloading apps from unofficial sources, carefully reviewing app permissions.” He further said that these apps lack exploit functionality and are completely free from the influence of users. Permissions depend on permissions. That said, using anti-malware tools can help keep your Android device safe.
