No respite for Android users: After security researchers reported a dangerous Trojan called “Dark Herring” in almost 500 Android apps with over 100 million downloads at the end of January 2022, another team of experts is now sounding the alarm. Cybersecurity company Pradeo has also identified malware in the Google Play Store. It is called Vultur and is designed to tap bank data.
The malware is in the tow of an app called 2FA Authenticator, which was available through the Google Play Store until January 27, 2022 and had more than 10,000 downloads. In the meantime, Google has removed them from the offer at Pradeo’s request. Apparently, the seemingly harmless application is only used for two-factor authentication. In fact, during installation, it obtains far-reaching access rights, including to biometric data such as fingerprints, and installs the dangerous banking Trojan in the background.
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App can install additional software
According to Pradeo, the app is theoretically able to smuggle any kind of software onto a smartphone unnoticed. Thanks to the secretly stolen access rights, she can also spy out sensitive information, bypass key locks and password protection, install other programs disguised as updates and show windows that cannot be closed on your smartphone. The “2FA Authenticator” app does not even have to be open.
If you already have the application on your phone, you should delete it immediately and check your bank accounts for irregularities. According to Pradeo, as soon as the program recognizes bank data on your smartphone, the installation and use of Vultur begins. According to the report, this is still relatively new malware that specializes in recognizing and reading account access data and forwarding it to third parties.
