A malicious module called Clicker Trojan installed on nearly 100 million Android phones via Google play store apps such as audio players, barcode scanners, and other software.
Threat actors intended to add this malicious clicker trojan to increase website visit rates by simulating the user actions to clicking on links to earn money on online traffic.
All the malicious programs act as legitimate apps to steal a variety of sensitive data and report to the Command & Control server from infected devices. It collecting the following information.
- manufacturer and model;
- operating system version;
- user’s country of residence and default system language;
- User-Agent ID;
- mobile carrier;
- internet connection type;
- display parameters;
- time zone;
- data on an application containing a trojan.
A Clicker Trojan dubbed Android.Click.312.origin planted in 33 application and hiding the icon after the installation process and requesting too many permission from the victim’s phone.
Clicker Trojan Automatically Subscribe the Paid Services
These applications were developed for not only advertised from Google Play store but its also distributing via websites and the trojan built-in applications to automatically subscribed to expensive content provider services.
Some of the users are frequently reporting in PlayStore that they are charged for some unwanted subscription without their knowledge.
First user comment: “After installation, it subscribes you to paid services! Be careful, do not install this application!!!”
Developer response: “What services? You’re wrong.”
Second user: “After installation, I was subscribed to 5 services and now my phone account is empty.”
User comment: “The moment you log in, it deducts 50 rubles. I don’t know what it is for, please explain.”
User comment: “The moment you log in, it deducts 50 rubles. I don’t know what it is for, please explain.”
According to Dr, Web research, “Since the trojan informs the command and control server about the current Internet connection type, the server can send a command to open a website of a partner service that supports the WAP-Click technology if the device is connected to the Internet via a mobile carrier”
Malicious apps misuse the WAP-Click, a technology that simplifies the subscription to various premium services without letting users know and there is no permission required to subscribe to the unwanted services.
There are nearly 34 apps were uncovered that installed in 51.7 million users device and additionally, a modified version of dubbed Android.Click.313.origin, was downloaded by at least 50 million Android users.
| Package name | SHA1 | Minimal number of downloads |
|---|---|---|
| com.a13.gpslock | c0ddd6a164905ef6f65ec06ff088a991c01687e9 | 50,000 |
| com.a13softdev.qrcodereader | ea3e521d80730097f2c48dd9f0432749a07b9562 | 1,000,000 |
| com.aitype.android | 66c75e23ab7169475043cdc120206c06b261349d | 10,000,000 |
| com.crics.cricketmazza | 1915eb46bd9ee2fe6748deaa0750cee83f72f8e0 | 1,000,000 |
| com.dictionary.englishurdu | 6c1347786aef5beb0060229c043e5c2ab24f1210 | 5,000,000 |
| com.finance.loan.emicalculator | b8370356b55b13824eac3f8c0129bc2a00ddaf93 | 1,000,000 |
| com.fitness.stepcounter.pedometer | 100b7a782cf12c0d08b94b3a8425c972f44f2ddc | 100,000 |
| com.galaxyapps.routefinder | 4328b4c99dac008e6c509ac1521014faa0dadcc3 | 5,000,000 |
| com.guruinfomedia.ebook.pdfviewer | 0a17c18c49c97cdf558a986037b0e4b0c8592442 | 100,000 |
| com.guruinfomedia.gps.speedometer | 7964ec42624b91280a044024906ce71ec46cc6ea | 1,000,000 |
| com.guruinfomedia.gps.speedometerpro | eca09c6331129c86e95a64a2f89dce8ad23cfea0 | 50,000 |
| com.guruinfomedia.notepad.texteditor | 88d1c4d118decd4360e6a8abc186965ccc05fe23 | 1,000,000 |
| com.guruinfomedia.notepad.texteditor.pro | c5caf490f8627f510553b9336d62fd28382d22d5 | 100,000 |
| com.impactobtl.friendstrackerfree | 0c7dbdb521efd7354d515e2b24c8f2c61432c4bc | 1,000,000 |
| com.impactobtl.whodeletedme | 8b901532f3247bdafe84e2d315d900bfe3a91bd6 | 500,000 |
| com.mapsnavigation.gpsroutefinder.locationtrackers | fbe2ac65d1a9c2894821faaff000ea7ac1147cee | 1,000,000 |
| com.qibla.compass.prayertimes | 034ba8339be985c137108f4064bff4e156817c51 | 100,000 |
| com.qiblafinder.prayertime.hijricalendar | ef8a44cabd1ed8ef37c303c8fc16effb6c28fa5c | 1,000,000 |
| com.quranmp3.readquran | 9b4a330a6ebe026db5fd13483c1a0a9de4571c89 | 1,000,000 |
| com.quranmp3ramadan.readquran | a870ba7293fc5475b499466a90d9a38a539a645c | 500,000 |
| com.ramdantimes.prayertimes.allah | b13b296d20f360f8413b49459dc7397799e38763 | 1,000,000 |
| com.ramdantimes.qibla.prayertimes | e74dec8b5ff7d0fa77f21f21fdb49f0e0f3722c7 | 500,000 |
| com.sdeteam.gsa | 4e8112e4e3039e4a8d2479e3acae858deae0c3a1 | 1,000,000 |
| com.shikh.gurbaniradio.livekirtan | 1c69c6cc2714496fb50818b1c46be0ca72086fad | 100,000 |
| com.studyapps.mathen | 9498a03c48b4802d1e529e42d5dc72a7e2da1593 | 500,000 |
| com.studyapps.obshestvo | 4f2dfe1410b7de8f9301d5c54becfa87d7cdd276 | 100,000 |
| com.tosi.bombujmanual | 8161f174eb43ee98838410e08757dd6dc348b53f | 500,000 |
| com.videocutter.mp3converter | f9a7b22c2a8c07cf1e878dc625ea60e634486333 | 1,000,000 |
| com.vpn.powervpn | a7dded17f59ad889d949232ee8b5c43d667ca351 | 1,000,000 |
| liveearthcam.livewebcams.livestreetview | 581f505f4a83ad2ff1823dd3477c000788a77829 | 500,000 |
| qrcode.scanner.qrmaker | a53bcd4a4313dee7d6fd226867a005b8549c0227 | 5,000,000 |
| remove.unwanted.object | 22f2690b89e8c1ea0172ced211d3d57f07118bcb | 10,000,000 |
| com.ixigo.train.ixitrain | 700819680439ce23945f25a20f1be97a1ff7d074 | 50,000,000 |
All the above mentioned apps are reported to Google and quickly removed from Google Play. several apps are updated and removed the malicious modules. Dr, web said.
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