Beware! This virus can steal your phone data, hack cameras
What's the story
A new Android malware that has the potential to infect phones and steal sensitive data like call records, contacts, history, and cameras is reportedly spreading and attacking smartphones, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) said in its latest advisory.
The terrifying new malware called the "Daam" virus is also capable of "bypassing anti-virus programs," CERT-In said.
Context
Why does this story matter?
According to CERT-In, the "Daam" virus has some additional features that can get distributed through third-party websites or applications and deploy ransomware on the targeted devices.
The agency, which combats cyber attacks and guards the cyber-space, advised people against browsing "untrusted websites" or clicking on "untrusted links" provided in unsolicited emails and SMSes.
About
What is 'Daam' virus
The "Daam" is an Android malware that utilizes the AES (advanced encryption standard) encryption algorithm to code files in the victim's device to gain control and steal data.
Once it enters the targeted device, it deletes other files from the local storage, leaving only the encrypted files with the ".enc" extension and a ransom note that says "readme_now.txt," per CERT-In.
Affect
How can 'Daam' affect Android smartphones
Per the agency, once the malware is placed in the device, it bypasses the device's security check and starts to steal sensitive data and permissions, such as reading history and bookmarks, killing background processing, reading call logs, etc.
CERT-In further claimed that "Daam" is capable of hacking phone call recordings, contacts, cameras, modifying device passwords, capturing screenshots, stealing SMSes, downloading/uploading files, etc.
Safeguard
What are ways to safeguard your device from malware
The following are some dos and don'ts that the central agency has advised to avoid contracting such viruses and malware:
Avoid browsing "untrusted websites" or clicking on "untrusted links."
Install and maintain updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
Look out for "suspicious phone numbers."
Exercise caution toward shortened URLs, such as those involving "bitly" and "tinyurl" hyperlinks like "http://bit.ly/" "\nbit.ly" and "tinyurl.com/."