{"id":20588,"date":"2020-04-15T13:31:06","date_gmt":"2020-04-15T17:31:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.psafe.com\/en\/blog\/?p=20588"},"modified":"2022-04-27T14:51:53","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T18:51:53","slug":"be-careful-theres-a-malware-pandemic-underway-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.psafe.com\/en\/blog\/be-careful-theres-a-malware-pandemic-underway-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Be Careful: There\u2019s A Malware Pandemic Underway Too\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down in a matter of weeks. But one group of people is carrying on as they always have: <\/span>hackers. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

If anything, they\u2019ve only grown more brazen and active. \u201cOvernight, the pandemic has become the number one subject on everyone\u2019s mind,\u201d explains Emilio Simoni, Research Director at dfndr lab<\/strong>, \u201cand that\u2019s irresistible to hackers and scammers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Simoni continues: \u201cThe first job of any scammer is to get your attention: to stop you on your path and pull your interest toward their offer or message.  The coronavirus pandemic has created a topic that everyone is intensely interested in, all over the world. This has made the scammer\u2019s job much, much easier. And they\u2019re making use of both the intensity of interest and the global breadth of exposure.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

An Explosion of Coronavirus Malware<\/b><\/p>\n

Under Simoni\u2019s direction, the experts at the dfndr lab<\/strong> have found more than 227 different Coronavirus-content scams. Most of them offer a dashboard which falsely promises users access to a real-time map for global or local surveillance of COVID-19 cases. As soon as they\u2019re downloaded, they act as ransomware. Typically, they lock the home screen and blackmail the victim into paying a specified amount of money to \u201cunlock\u201d the phone. The ransomware messages are often intimidating, claiming access to photos and private information, like this one:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

SuperVPN: 100 Million Users, Finally Deleted From The Google Store<\/b><\/p>\n

But coronavirus scams aren\u2019t the only vulnerability out there. As Emilio Simoni explains: \u201cYou need security solutions that look out for more than scams and hackers. Even apps that aren\u2019t clearly malware or ransomware can totally compromise your security. SuperVPN is a perfect case in point: it\u2019s security problems have been known for over a year, but the app has been removed from the Google Play store very recently.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

SuperVPN offered users the ability to browse the internet as if they were coming from a different country, providing access to sites and functions that they wouldn\u2019t normally be able to reach. For the app to work, an exchange of information between the device and the app was required. That process of exchange was loaded with serious vulnerabilities, and resulted in the theft of data like passwords and credit card numbers. Beyond its security issues, SuperVPN also appeared to violate Google Play\u2019s algorithm in order to get more installs. They were very successful, racking up more than 100 million users before finally being removed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you know anyone who has downloaded and installed SuperVPN,\u201d Simoni remarks, \u201cmake sure they remove the app as soon as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Above is an illustration of how SuperVPN compromised user\u2019s secure data.  (<\/span><\/i>Image: VPNPro)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Protect Yourself From Hackers AND Vulnerabilities<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the best ways to protect your information now is to upgrade your dfndr app (if you haven\u2019t already) to dfndr Pro<\/strong><\/a>.  (Here\u2019s a link where you can learn more, and download Pro if you decide it\u2019s right for you.)<\/span><\/p>\n

As apps with hidden \u201ccracks\u201d in security like SuperVPN illustrate, you have to be not only informed enough to resist the hackers and scams, you also have to have proven technical tools to keep your devices safe.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Emilio Simoni explains it: \u201cAs we publicize these cases of hackers and scams, we want to be cautious and let people know that all data breaches or \u201cmalware\u201d won\u2019t always follow a specific pattern. Lots of data breaches happen with very reputable software makers or business transactions. There are many ways your data can be compromised. To be safe, you need more than your own human intelligence at work.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

This is why <\/span>dfndr Pro<\/a> <\/b>offers a full suite of security capabilities:<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlimited Identity Theft Reports:<\/b> These provide your \u201couter-perimeter\u201d defense, looking out for privacy vulnerabilities beyond your own device. These reports reveal if any of your information has been leaked, with a one-click check of a database with over 4 billion compromised credentials. <\/span><\/p>\n

Anti-theft protection: <\/b>Protects against physical loss that leads to data loss: in case of theft or loss of your device, you can lock  it down remotely, find the phone on a map; or, activate a loud alarm to find it nearby. You can also get a picture of the thief, and wipe the phone of your personal data.<\/span><\/p>\n

Safe App Installer: <\/b>Protects you from apps known to have had data breaches \u2014 before you install them.<\/span><\/p>\n

App Privacy Scan:<\/b> You can locate on a map where your app data is going and how it might be used by third-parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ad-Free:<\/b> As an extra bonus, Pro is totally ad-free.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Stay Vigilant!<\/b><\/p>\n

With dfndr Pro<\/a> in your toolbox, the rest is a matter of staying as aware as you can and protecting yourself and your family.  Consider adopting these rules for use of digital devices in your home:<\/span><\/p>\n