HijackRat Threatens Mobile Banking

HijackRat is a new malware which infects Android supported devices. The aim of this bank trojan is to steal information from victimized devices and use it for bank frauds. The trojan is capable of performing the following tasks:

• Stealing data


• Stealing bank credentials


• Spoofing

The earlier versions of such malware were capable of achieving only one of the above goals. HijackRat, on the other hand, can accomplish all of these tasks.

Features of HijackRat

If an Android smartphone or tablet has been infected by HikackRat, the malware will carry out the following activities.

• Stealing and automatically sending text messages


• Disabling any antivirus software or mobile security app which may be installed on the infected Android device


• Malicious applications will start updating automatically


• Stealing contacts


• Replacing legitimate banking apps installed on the compromised device with fake utilities.

Currently, the bank trojan has been victimizing several banks in Korea. It can easily be used by cybercriminals to target financial institutes in Europe as well.

Possible Preventive Measures

The most obvious measures which can prevent HijackRat’s infection is the installation of an anti-malware program. However, Google claims that no such protection is required. Firstly, mobile devices can still fall prey to the malware despite antivirus protection. Secondly, Google says that every new app is checked before it can find its way into Play Store. However, despite these claims, a number of malicious software is still lurking around in Google’s app store. This makes Android users worried.

Solution

A device which has been compromised due to HijackRat can be fixed by taking away its administrative rights. In fact, users should always be cautions before giving permission to apps before downloading them. Permission to have access to contacts and your SMS means this information can be stolen. Therefore, every Android user must be cautious.