Mobile malware is a malicious application specifically designed to target mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets that can damage or disrupt the normal functioning of a phone, steal personal information or spy on the user.
Agent Tesla, Formbook, Lokibot, Vidar are some of the most prevalent mobile malwares worldwide.
The most far and wide kind of portable malware overall were variations from the Agent Tesla family. This represented almost 30% of all portable malware assaults that year. Formbook malware was the second most normal sort found, trailed by those from the family LokiBot.
5 Types of Mobile Malwares
Remote Access Tool (RAT)
Mobile Click Fraud
Banking Trojan
Mobile ransomware
Cryptomining Malware
1.Mobile Phishing and Spoofing
Mobile Phishing and Spoofing is on the rise, specifically those that can be easily spoofed by a mere screenshot of your device. Mobile Phishing and Spoofing is a growing threat to mobile devices, especially with the rise of mobile banking and other financial platforms, but also with the increase of social media platforms such as Facebook. This can lead to a loss of private data, money, time, and more.
2. Rooted Devices
Rooted mobile devices are potentially more dangerous because they give malware a permanent home in which to attack and potentially steal data, or to allow it to spread to other devices. The ability to root a device varies by the type and model of the mobile device. Many Android phones and tablets are open to rooting. Apple products are less prone to rooting. Rooting is the process of gaining full access to a device in its operating system. Once rooted, a device is entirely under the control of the user and is no longer under the control of the device’s manufacturer or carrier.
3. Browser Exploits
A new type of malicious software designed to target mobile devices was recently discovered by security researchers. The new security threat is a type of mobile browser exploit that can take advantage of vulnerabilities in the software that renders web pages on mobile devices. Dubbed as “Acecard,” the new mobile browser exploit is not the first browser-based malware to target smartphones and tablets. However, Acecard is the first browser exploit that is capable of infecting iPhone and Android devices.
4.Drive-by Downloads
Mobile device users who use public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks are at risk for Drive-By Downloads. Drive-By Downloads are when a malicious program or code is being downloaded onto a mobile device, usually through an infected website. Users are not aware of the malicious program or code being downloaded, as it happens in the background and is not noticeable. Drive-By Downloads are almost always initiated at the same time or after a user accesses a website. In most cases, the user will not even need to click on a link or download a file, as the malicious program is disguised as a regular program.
How to Protect Against Mobile Malware
You can remove malwares from your devices from this step-by-step method.