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ExpensiveWall: A dangerous ‘packed’ malware on Google Play that will hit your wallet

by Elena Root, Andrey Polkovnichenko & Bohdan Melnykov posted 2017/09/14
 
Check Point’s mobile threat research team identified a new variant of an Android malware that sends fraudulent premium SMS messages and charges users’ accounts for fake services without their knowledge. According to Google Play data, the malware infected at least 50 apps and was downloaded between 1 million and 4.2 million times before the affected apps were removed. The new strain of malware is dubbed "ExpensiveWall," after one of the apps it uses to infect devices, "Lovely Wallpaper." ExpensiveWall is a new variant of a malware found earlier this year on Google Play. The entire malware family has now been downloaded between 5.9 million and 21.1 million times. What makes ...

How the CopyCat malware infected Android devices around the world

by Check Point Mobile Research Team posted 2017/07/06
 
Check Point researchers identified a mobile malware that infected 14 million Android devices, rooting approximately 8 million of them, and earning the hackers behind the campaign approximately $1.5 million in fake ad revenues in two months. The malware, dubbed CopyCat by Check Point mobile threat researchers, uses a novel technique to generate and steal ad revenues. While CopyCat infected users mainly in Southeast Asia, it  spread to more than 280,000 Android users in the United States. CopyCat is a fully developed malware with vast capabilities, including rooting devices, establishing persistency, and injecting code into Zygote - a daemon responsible for launching apps in the ...

Chain Reaction:  The New Wave of Mobile Attacks

by Oren Koriat, Mobile Threat Research Team posted 2017/06/08
 
The main purpose of any business is to grow and be more successful – and that applies to criminal organizations just as much as it does to legitimate companies.  Cybercriminals have found that attacks specifically targeting smartphones and tablets, particularly those that incorporate a ransomware payload, are effective and profitable – which is why the volume of malware targeting users of mobile devices trebled during 2015. Nevertheless, the actual structure of mobile attacks has, until recently, tended to be very simple. A malicious app is delivered to the mobile device, sometimes as an attachment or as a download from a compromised web link. From there the app does its damage, ...

SandBlast Mobile receives highest security score in independent test

by Darrell Burkey, Director IPS Products posted 2017/04/25
 
Great news!  Miercom conducted the first independent, hands-on test of mobile threat defense products and Check Point SandBlast Mobile received Miercom’s Certified Secure Award! This is Miercom’s highest award for achievement in competitive, hands-on testing and according to the firm, “Check Point could detect and block 100% of malicious applications and network attacks and mitigate all device vulnerabilities, regardless of operating system.” The SandBlast Mobile team is proud to deliver this test and report to you. Founded in 1998, Miercom is a leading independent tester of network and security products from routers and switches to anti-virus and advanced threat ...

Survey: Enterprise security pros doubtful they can prevent mobile breaches

by Brian Gleeson, Mobile Security Product Marketing posted 2017/04/12
 
At least once a week – usually after pounding on my iPhone to access a business document, texting a family member, and calling a colleague on another continent, all in a matter of minutes – I’m reminded how complete the shift to mobile computing has been. It’s hard imagining what it was like working without our trusted smartphones and tablets. Mobile devices are indeed critical to getting work done in 2017. They are also treasure troves of personal and business data. And there are threat actors out there who want to get their hands on that data. We learned long ago to secure our PCs from cyberattacks, but it’s puzzling why most businesses still fail to secure employees’ ...

The latest findings on Chrysaor (Pegasus for Android) are even more stealthy

by Check Point Research Team posted 2017/04/06
 
Earlier this week Google published a research about a new sophisticated spyware tool for Android, believed to be related to the Pegasus malware for iOS, which was discovered in August 2016. As Google wrote in their blog, the malware was most likely created by the authors of Pegasus – the NSO group, and shares many common features as Pegasus. What’s the big news? Chrysaor is a fully developed spy tool for Android devices, and can allow attackers to surveil their targets’ every move. Chrysaor has implemented elaborate modules to listen in on conversations, take screenshots and surveil the device’s surroundings, steal sensitive data and read SMS messages. This malware presents a ...

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