Security News > 2022 > November > Android file manager apps infect thousands with Sharkbot malware
A new collection of malicious Android apps posing as harmless file managers had infiltrated the official Google Play app store, infecting users with the Sharkbot banking trojan.
Because the trojan apps are file managers, it's less likely to raise suspicions when requesting dangerous permissions for loading the Sharkbot malware.
Sharkbot is a dangerous malware that attempts to steal online bank accounts by displaying fake login forms over legitimate login prompts in banking apps.
In a new report by Bitdefender, analysts discovered the new Android trojan apps disguised as file managers and reported them to Google.
FileVoyager features the same operational pattern as X-File Manager and targets the same financial institutions in Italy and the UK. Another Sharkbot loading app spotted by Bitdefender is 'LiteCleaner M', which amassed 1,000 downloads before it got spotted and removed from the Play Store.
As the threat actors distributed these apps directly from Google Play, the best way to protect yourself is to keep the Play Protect service enabled so that malicious apps are removed as they are detected.
News URL
Related news
- New FakeCall Malware Variant Hijacks Android Devices for Fraudulent Banking Calls (source)
- New Android Banking Malware 'ToxicPanda' Targets Users with Fraudulent Money Transfers (source)
- Cyber crooks push Android malware via letter (source)
- SpyLoan Android malware on Google play installed 8 million times (source)
- 8 Million Android Users Hit by SpyLoan Malware in Loan Apps on Google Play (source)
- New DroidBot Android banking malware spreads across Europe (source)
- New DroidBot Android malware targets 77 banking, crypto apps (source)
- Germany sinkholes BadBox malware pre-loaded on Android devices (source)
- Germany blocks BadBox malware loaded on 30,000 Android devices (source)
- Android malware found on Amazon Appstore disguised as health app (source)