Apps closing on their own, intrusive ads where not usual, strange menus where they didn’t appear before, excessive battery consumption… These are just some of the signs that our mobile has a virus. And far from what it may seem, Android malware is still on the agenda.
If it is true that we now know more protection measures and that Google itself integrates its own mechanisms for this, it is no less worrying. For him, knowing the types of malware is essential to avoid them, especially if we know how it enters our system. We will talk about it precisely in this article.
What is malware and what are the most common on Android
Malwarealso known as virus when we talk about computer environments, it is the union of the English words wrongice there soft, tenderdishes. Starting from the pure translation, it would literally be malware.
In Android, like in other computer systems such as computers, there are many types of malware. However, in order not to perpetuate the list and to be more practical, we will see those that appear most often and they tend to be more problematic.
Trojan
You have surely heard this term on more than one occasion. And these are the most common. These are known as Trojans. malicious files hidden in a seemingly legitimate application. Unsurprisingly, its name comes from the history of the Trojan, appearing to be a reliable tool to install us and then hide inside the malicious elements that attack the mobile.
Its objectives can be various, being able to attack the operating system to make the device unusable. Although they can also be the element that serves as the key to open the door to other malware.
As we have already said, these are not files downloaded consciously or indicated anywhere. They usually appear in Dubious APK and, although on a smaller scale, also on Google Play. However, Google tries to put security filters in place that prevent it from entering the app store, and if one sneaks in, they try to remove the app as soon as possible.
Spyware
In a way could be considered a type of Trojan horse, because it is also not installed consciously and appears hidden among the files of an application. Some are as difficult to locate as Pegasus spyware, one of the best known and newest that has attacked governments like Europe.
It is precisely this recent case that is essential to know that their victims are usually people of great importance to public life. Leaders and other politicians, well-known journalists, as well as actors and other famous personalities.
As their name suggests, they are used to spy on everything on the device. From the files it contains to the actions carried out by the victim, including this last point, his call log, his SMS, his WhatsApp messages, his browsing history… In short, everything.
adware
Advertising is one of the sectors that generate the most money. And on many occasions, there are applications that ignore the operating rules that Google imposes on offer advertising in unauthorized places and always without the consent of the user.
Normally they also occur in third-party APKs, although there are recent and curious cases such as the 16 applications discovered by McAfee in October. These have been dressed up on Google Play as handy tools for cleaning up files, editing photos, and more. However, they added advertising in the background which even the user did not see, although he clicked on it, thus bringing an economic benefit to the developer. These, thankfully, have been removed from Google Play.
Ransomware
In addition to this type of malware is usually more common on computers and it targets victims with a high profile like in spyware, the truth is that it can also happen on mobile phones. Basically it is hack all data which are stored.
The objective of the cybercriminals who launch these attacks is none other than to ask for money in exchange for publishing data. In other words, they access the content of the mobile, disable access by the user and only by paying the requested amount can they be recovered.
As we have already said, they are generally addressed to companies that store a lot of sensitive information. The method of infection is usually the same as in the previous cases: apparently trustworthy applications, malware sneaking in in the form of a Trojan horse.
Botnets
This type of malware does not require the user to install anything on their device. They used to be collective attacks across the networkthus affecting all devices connected to the same WiFi or network.
can also have different goals. From “simple” mass spamming to DDoS attacks, including the spread of any other type of malware.
Other Common Android Malware
Although we cannot call them malware, we can find SMS and call scams which finally arrive via mobile and can jeopardize your bank account money.
In short, it is phishing and its variants, a term used to define an attempt to impersonate another person, business or public entity. They usually pretend to be a bank warning of an unauthorized payment or a courier asking for shipping charges, etc.
After all, all these messages have in common the addition of a link to a malicious website. A page that apparently may resemble that of the spoofed entity, but in the end it is an imitation that only wants you to enter your bank access credentials or your payment information.
And the same thing happens with fraudulent calls. Sometimes they use the same tactic of pretending to be a bank or resorting to the well-known vishing of the double call scam, in which they pretend to be your telephone company and increase the price only to then make another call pretending to be a cheaper company and get your payment information.
How to prevent the entry of malware on the mobile
We have already seen the most common viruses and now it is time to review the most common ways to infect your mobile, so that you can prevent them from entering the system.
- Third-party apps: Normally nothing will happen if you download an APK from the internet, but always try to do this from trusted repositories and run an antivirus on the downloaded file. If they are from Google Play, check reviews and download counts to verify their reliability.
- Permissions: There are three permissions that can allow malware to enter, namely Accessibility, Read SMS, and Notifications. Be careful which apps you grant these permissions to, and unless it’s vital that they have them and are trustworthy, don’t give them.
- Terms of use: Although it might not be specified in the terms of a service that it includes malware, it could be a warning that they are going to make strange use of your data. Take as a recent example the spy apps that Qatar demands to enter the premises of the country.
- Anti-virus : They are effective, but not infallible. It never hurts to have one installed on your mobile, especially knowing that there are free antiviruses for Android with a very good reputation. However, they are not always able to detect malware and can create a false sense of security.
- WIFI connection: Avoid connecting to untrusted WiFi networks. And if you have no choice but to do so, try doing so with a VPN that acts as a bridge and allows you to have more private and secure browsing.
- Websites: Avoid entering untrusted pages, especially those leaving the ‘https’ protocol. If there is also a previous alert from your Internet carrier warning you, do not ignore it unless you are sure. Similarly, do not click on questionable links that you receive by SMS or email.
- Attachments: Whether by email, SMS or any other means, try not to download and store the photos, videos and other files you receive if they are not secure files and have been received from someone or trusted entity.
- Cleaning: try to keep your phone internally clean of unnecessary files. There are several very good Android cleaners, although the one from Google, called Google Files, may suffice.
How to remove malware on Android
If you have already detected that your device is infected, know that there is no more accurate method to remove Android viruses than the completely format the phoneAs excessive as it may seem. And this is the best way to delete all infected files.
It is however important that it is a full restore and that after that do not download any saves. And it is that, as useful as it is to have a backup of your data, it could lead to malicious files with it.
Also, a tip to keep in mind is to change all passwords apps and services you had on your mobile when the malware was detected. This way you will block access to cybercriminals, if they managed to get it. And, if possible, try to make the new password strong (long, mixing characters, different for each account, etc.).
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