FluBot Android Spyware Taken Down by Global Law Enforcement Operation

An international legislation enforcement operation involving 11 countries has culminated in the takedown of a notorious cellular malware risk termed FluBot.

“This Android malware has been spreading aggressively through SMS, thieving passwords, online banking facts and other delicate data from contaminated smartphones throughout the environment,” Europol reported in a assertion.

The “advanced investigation” included authorities from Australia, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Eire, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the U.S.

FluBot, also known as Cabassous, emerged in the wild in December 2020, masking its insidious intent at the rear of the veneer of seemingly innocuous deal tracking applications such as FedEx, DHL, and Correos.

It mainly spreads through smishing (aka SMS-based phishing) messages that trick unsuspecting recipients into clicking on a website link to download the malware-laced apps.

As soon as launched, the application would progress to ask for obtain to Android’s Accessibility Provider to stealthily siphon lender account qualifications and other delicate data stored in cryptocurrency apps.

To make issues even worse, the malware leveraged its obtain to contacts saved in the infected device to propagate the infection further more by sending messages containing backlinks to the FluBot malware.

“This FluBot infrastructure is now below the management of law enforcement, putting a stop to the destructive spiral,” the company pointed out, adding that the Dutch Police orchestrated the seizure previous thirty day period.

According to ThreatFabric’s mobile menace landscape report for H1 2022, FluBot was the next most lively banking trojan powering Hydra, accounting for 20.9% of the samples noticed concerning January and May.

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Some parts of this article are sourced from:
thehackernews.com