Alert! New malware can steal passwords, card data from 337 apps including YONO Lite SBI

Internet users once again find themselves in a tough spot as a new malware has been discovered which can steal data and card details from their smartphones. What’s worrying is that the malware allegedly has the ability to target around 337 apps which includes YONO Lite by SBI, Netflix, Uber, among others. Called the BlackRock, The malware was discovered by security company ThreatFabric.

Once installed on a device, BlackRock monitors and detects when one of the legitimate apps it targets is opened. It then pops up an ‘overlay’ on the screen which looks like genuine app but is fake. 

As most users are unable to identify the fake app, they end up entering their log in or card details. BlackRock sends them off to a server while also returning the user to the legitimate app. Some of the targeted apps mentioned are Payoneer, PayPal mobile cash, Gmail (!), Yahoo Mail, Microsoft Outlook, Amazon seller, Skrill, Uber, Netflix, Amazon shopping, Binance, YONO Lite SBI, IDBI Bank Go Mobile+, and iMobile by ICICI.

What can this malware do?

BlackRock seems dangerous as it is capable of keylogging, granting permissions, SMS harvesting and sending, screen locking, device information collection, notification collection, AV detection, and can both hide its app icon and prevents its own removal. It targets apps in different domains including finance, social media, Books & Reference, Business, Communication, Dating, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music & Audio, News & Magazine, Tools, and Video Players & Editors.

Researchers at ThreatFabric believe that the second half of 2020 can come with more surprises with financially motivated threat actors looking to build new banking Trojans and continue improving the existing ones. 

WATCH | Zee Business Indian App Developers Adda

“With the changes that we expect to be made to mobile banking Trojans, the line between banking malware and spyware becomes thinner, banking malware will pose a threat for more organizations and their infrastructure, an organic change that we observed on windows banking malware years ago,” it said.

It also advises users to secure the online banking channels, making fraud hard to perform, therefore discouraging criminals to make more malware.