Saturday, November 2, 2024
Homecyber securityBeware of Android Coronavirus Tracker app that Lock's Your Device & Asks...

Beware of Android Coronavirus Tracker app that Lock’s Your Device & Asks Ransom Payment

Published on

Malware protection

Cybercriminals using the Coronavirus outbreak to trick users into installing malicious corona virus-related apps.

In the current panic, situation users are most vulnerable to apps like Coronavirus Trackers, symptoms identification, maps, etc.

Malicious Coronavirus Tracker

Security researchers from Domaintools observed a malicious Coronavirus tracker app that locks the user’s Android device and asks for a ransom payment.

- Advertisement - SIEM as a Service

The good news is that the malware not through the official Google play store, distributed through the website coronavirusapp[.]site.

The app claims to have a real-time Coronavirus outbreak tracker available via an app download. Once the app installed in the front end it shows tracking and statistical information about COVID-19 including the heatmap.

Heatmap

But in the background, it is poisoned with ransomware, which is previously unseen, the app titled “CovidLock”.

It locks the phone by forcing a password change and the threat actors request $250 in bitcoin in 48 hours to unlock the phone.

CovidLock is a new ransomware that launches a lock-screen attack while installing the app it asks for device administrator permissions if done it locks the screen and encrypts the storage.

Request Permission

Also, the ransom note threatens that all your contacts, pictures and videos are getting deleted if the ransom note was not paid.

Ransom note

The ransom note includes a Bitcoin wallet ID, where users are forced to pay the ransom, the bitcoin address shows no victims currently paid the ransom.

Related Read

CoronaVirus Cyber Attack Panic – Threat Actors Targets Victims Worldwide

Chinese APT Hackers Exploit MS Word Bug to Drop Malware Via Weaponized Coronavirus Lure Documents

How Can The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disrupt Cybersecurity Operations?

Gurubaran
Gurubaran
Gurubaran is a co-founder of Cyber Security News and GBHackers On Security. He has 10+ years of experience as a Security Consultant, Editor, and Analyst in cybersecurity, technology, and communications.

Latest articles

LightSpy iOS Malware Enhanced with 28 New Destructive Plugins

The LightSpy threat actor exploited publicly available vulnerabilities and jailbreak kits to compromise iOS...

ATPC Cyber Forum to Focus on Next Generation Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Issues

White House National Cyber Director, CEOs, Key Financial Services Companies, Congressional and Executive Branch...

New PySilon RAT Abusing Discord Platform to Maintain Persistence

Cybersecurity experts have identified a new Remote Access Trojan (RAT) named PySilon. This Trojan...

Konni APT Hackers Attacking Organizations with New Spear-Phishing Tactics

The notorious Konni Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group has intensified its cyber assault on...

Free Webinar

Protect Websites & APIs from Malware Attack

Malware targeting customer-facing websites and API applications poses significant risks, including compliance violations, defacements, and even blacklisting.

Join us for an insightful webinar featuring Vivek Gopalan, VP of Products at Indusface, as he shares effective strategies for safeguarding websites and APIs against malware.

Discussion points

Scan DOM, internal links, and JavaScript libraries for hidden malware.
Detect website defacements in real time.
Protect your brand by monitoring for potential blacklisting.
Prevent malware from infiltrating your server and cloud infrastructure.

More like this

LightSpy iOS Malware Enhanced with 28 New Destructive Plugins

The LightSpy threat actor exploited publicly available vulnerabilities and jailbreak kits to compromise iOS...

Hackers Use Fog Ransomware To Attack SonicWall VPNs And Breach Corporate Networks

Recent cyberattacks involving Akira and Fog threat actors have targeted various industries, exploiting a...

Hardcoded Creds in Popular Apps Put Millions of Android and iOS Users at Risk

Recent analysis has revealed a concerning trend in mobile app security: Many popular apps...