A dangerous new malware is spreading across Europe, putting millions of Android smartphone owners at risk. Cybersecurity researchers at ThreatFabric, called Octo2, first discovered the malware disguised as popular Android apps such as Google Chrome, Europe Enterprise or NordVPN.
The latter is one of the best VPN deals available, offering military-grade encryption to secure your internet connection and unlock streaming from around the world. It’s a cruel irony that Android users who downloaded a compromised version of this award-winning VPN found themselves at the mercy of hackers.
Octo2 is widely rumored to be the successor to the hugely popular Trojan Octo.
Once Octo2 is installed on an Android device, hackers can remotely control the device, record what happens on the screen, manipulate incoming text messages and app notifications, and track everything you type on the keyboard. You can
Security researchers at ThreatFabric have discovered malware listed in unofficial app stores posing as NordVPN and Google Chrome to trick Android users into downloading software.
fabric of menace
This leaves criminals with a treasure trove of data that can be exploited for phishing scams, identity theft, and other common cyberattacks. The Octo2 malware is distributed in unofficial app repositories online, so only users who try to download apps outside of the Google Play Store are affected. This makes it difficult for security researchers to calculate the number of infected devices.
At this time, the malware is believed to primarily target users in Italy, Poland, Moldova, and Hungary. However, security experts believe that Octo 2 will soon become a global threat. This is a pattern established by our predecessors.
Octo2 improves on its infamous sibling with improved stability and advanced anti-detection mechanisms, making it a truly formidable threat to Android smartphone and tablet users. Hackers have also worked hard to ensure that new malware can function even when network connectivity is poor.
According to ThreatFabric, Octo2 is likely the developer’s response to the original Octo Trojan source code that was leaked online earlier this year. The leak allowed hackers to use the code to create their own versions of the malware, damaging sales of the original virus.
The original Octo was sold as a monthly subscription called Malware-As-A-Service (MaaS) for hackers who wanted to wreak havoc and siphon data from Android users around the world. Octo’s victims were found throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East.
It is assumed that Octo2 is an attempt to get this nefarious business back on track, given the free fall in profits since the breach. According to some unconfirmed reports, hackers are offering special discounts to users of the first generation Octo malware.
It’s safe to assume that hackers will eventually target all of the same locations as Octo with new strains.
To protect themselves again from Octo2 and other malware threats, Android smartphone owners should avoid downloading apps from unofficial sources. Always use Google Play Store to install all apps. This store is protected by Google Play Protect, which scans for viruses and other threats every few seconds.
Even on official platforms like the Google Play Store, it’s always worth paying attention. See app reviews, developer information, links to developer websites, and download numbers. Applications that request unnecessary permissions should also be avoided.
Latest development status
If you’re concerned, it might be helpful to check it regularly and delete apps you don’t use from your phone. Be especially wary of apps that claim to enhance or change popular services like WhatsApp or Spotify.
A Google spokesperson explained: “Android users are automatically protected from known versions of this malware by Google Play Protect. Google Play Protect is enabled by default on Android devices with Google Play services. Google Play Protect can warn users or block apps that are known to exhibit malicious behavior, even if those apps come from sources other than Play. ”
