It is undeniable that there are so many viruses and malware which are ready to attack our mobile devices, especially Android users. Some hackers use this moment to steal important data from some users. As a smartphone user, it’s really important to always update your antivirus app to prevent it from new malware attack.
Some Dangerous Malware Attacks
Kaspersky Security Company found a new malicious malware that threatens Android users. This new malware is named Faketoken. Quoted from the official page Kaspersky, Faketoken was already circulating in the Google Play Store since one year ago. This malware evolved into something terrible.
When infecting an Android device, this malware will record all phone calls, intercept text messages, and steal data from various applications installed on Android devices, including banking applications. The most screwed up, you may not realize that you already activate the malware on Android device which you use. Kaspersky said, “When this Trojan is active, it will hide its shortcut icon and start monitoring all calls and which applications are used.”
This malware also has the ability to steal data from 2,000 apps, including from Android Pay, Google Play Store, travel ticket app, taxi, and hotel room. Although at this time the new Faketoken target Android users in Russia, the malware makers may expand its malware circulation to other countries in the world.
Xavier – Trojan based malware
There is also a new malware attack that was informed by Trend Micro. Trend Micro has found a new malware Trojan that is quite dangerous. The security analysis identifies the malware as ‘ANDROIDOS_XAVIER.AXM’ or Xavier. This is an ad library that silently sends user data to a remote server. What makes it worse is the method used to cover the trail and disguise its activity.
First of all, the malware is embedded in relatively harmless apps, such as ringtone makers and photo editing apps. Most of these applications seem to come from Southeast Asia. Trend Micro has found over 800 different apps containing malicious software that has been downloaded millions of times from Google Play, so that’s pretty much it.
Another thing that makes malware dangerous is by encoding it into the application. The openness of the malicious code is used in apps, so apps easily escape store approval. However, after installing malware as the malicious code from the secret server, the attack will begin to run. This action can be done without the user’s knowledge or consent. This malware is also able to install other dangerous files and can attack silently if your device is rooted.
Tips to getting Rid of Malware
Even though malware is dangerous for any smartphones, there are always some ways to make sure that your smartphone is not attacked by this malware. Read these following tips so your device is free from malware.
Download App on Google Play Store from Trusted Sources
This can be the most mainstream way, which you often hear from everywhere. But, some of the people are still stubborn to download applications from an unknown source other than play store. In fact, if you find an app that is not available in the Play Store, make sure the source you want to download is reliable.
Do Not Download Music from Unknown Websites
You may not be able to download music or songs from Play Store, but you can still download it from other websites. Somehow, if you download music and video from an untrusted website, you may download malware but you do not notice it. So, you need to make sure that the website is reliable and does not contain virus or malware.
Keep Up to Date Your Operating System
Some Android devices may be able to update their software system. You shouldn’t hesitate to download and update the system because it will strengthen your device security. This can be the best way to protect your smartphone from the malware attacks.
Install the Best Anti-Malware App from Google Play
Of course, it is really important to install an antivirus or anti-malware app on your smartphone because it will detect malware on your system. However, you also need to download the best anti-malware app that is available in the app store or play store. Kaspersky, Avast, AVG, and others are some of the best antivirus and anti-malware apps that you can download officially from Play Store.
Always Update Your Anti-Malware Database
You have to know that there is always a new malware or virus created every day by bad hackers. You never know that the malware will attack your device. Therefore, it is really important to update your antivirus app database to give more protection from new malware. You do not need to install two anti-malware apps, but it is not a big deal if you install two antivirus app on one device.
Always Scan Your System Regularly Using the App
After downloading and install the anti-malware app on your device, you may need to conduct scanning manually just in case you forget to activate the automatic scanning. This can be really important if your antivirus app does not work in the background. Simply, you can open the app and then just scan the system. The app will automatically delete or remove the malware from the device.
Use Safe Mode to Format Your Device Store or Uninstall App
The next way to tackle your Android smartphone from malware attacks is to go into Safe Mode. With this method, only the default apps can be active on your device. So, you can uninstall some apps that may contain malware. You can even format your Android smartphone in this case.
Finally, that’s our quick guide through mobile threats for this year and some tips on how to get rid of malware from your smartphone. You must be careful when downloading an app from unknown sources because it may contain virus and malware. Somehow, installing an antivirus and anti-malware app is the best way to prevent it from malware attacks. You also need to update the database of your anti-malware app so that you can get away from new malware.
You can find more advice on our Network & Mobile safety tab. Don’t forget to like and share our post 🙂