By Nathan Ferguson
The very malicious family of a technical virus, named SharkBot was first founded in October 2021. Over time, it has improved its methods of exploiting Android Users’ crypto holdings. The latest version of the antivirus application for cryptocurrency and banking has lately reappeared on the play store of Google.
Anti-ShakBot Malware Application Reappears on the App Store of Google
It is now equipped with more effective ways to rob cookies from the account verification process like bypassing fingerprints and logins. While sharing an article as co-authors on “Fox IT” (an online blog). Mike Stokkel and Alberto Segura are intelligence analysts and digital virus analysts. They cautioned about the latest version of banking and crypto viruses by using their Twitter accounts on the 2nd of September this year.
Alberto Segura says that the latest version of the technical virus was founded in August 2022. His point of view is that this type of malware can rob information via keylogging, and grabbing SMS. It is so powerful that it can give complete control of the targeted device to the wicked people by exploiting the Accessibility Services of the targeted device
This latest version of Virus was discovered in basically only two Android applications, namely ‘Kylhavy Mobile Security’ and ‘Mister Phone Cleaner’. These applications have been downloaded 10,000 and 50,000 times respectively. In the beginning, these two applications were having the potential to blind the Google play store’s automated code review.
Those Who Have Already Installed the App Are Still Endangered
In that case, the codes containing malware couldn’t ever be detected. Now it has been eradicated from the play store. Few observers say that the people who have already downloaded these applications can get affected by them. So, these applications should be deleted from devices. Cleafy, an Italian security organization, has discovered 22 targets of SharkBot.
These targets include international banking entities of the U.K, U.S., Italy, and 5 exchanges of cryptocurrency. The initial version of Virus was only Accessibility Services to get control of the host device and install any application containing malware like SharkBot without permission.
Contrary to that, the latest version suggests users install the malware to upgrade their antivirus application to protect their devices from possible threats. After installing SharkBot, whenever the user tries to log into his cryptocurrency account, SharkBot can easily steal cookies by using a ‘log cookie’.