We’ve always been told that as long as we stick to the Google Play Store and avoid sideloading, our Android phones are safe. However, a sophisticated new malware campaign has just shattered that sense of security.
As reported by BleepingComputer, researchers at the cybersecurity firm McAfee have discovered 50 malicious apps that hid in plain sight on Google's official store, racking up 2.3 million downloads while quietly infecting devices with a dangerous new Android malware strain.
Just like in previous malware campaigns, these bad apps posed as system cleaners, mobile games and other utilities. When opened, the apps in question worked as intended and to avoid suspicion, they didn’t request access to unnecessary permissions which is typically a major red flag that an app is malicious.
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Although Android users who installed and used these apps didn’t get the sense that anything was off, in the background, that couldn’t be further from the truth. You see, after contacting a hacker-controlled server, the apps profiled the devices they were installed on to look for exploitable weaknesses. If any are found, the new NoVoice Android malware then seizes complete and total control over an infected device, essentially turning it into a hacker’s plaything.
Here’s everything you need to know about this new malware and why it’s one of the most dangerous strains I’ve seen yet, along with some tips and tricks to help keep you and your Android smartphone safe from hackers.
A factory-reset proof infection
With most malware, performing a factory reset on one of the best Android phones should do the trick. However, with NoVoice, that won’t work because the malware burrows into the one area a system wipe can't touch.
To do so, NoVoice establishes root access by exploiting older vulnerabilities that have since been patched. Since many people don’t update…