Hackers are creating different kinds of Malware and Viruses to hack user’s digital data from their devices. They have chosen various paths for getting into one’s system. In a recent survey conducted by cyber security software maker Check Point found that more than 10 million Android devices across the globe had been infected with a malware termed as ‘HummingBad.’
Checkpoint had discovered this malware five months back in February 2016. Since then they have been tracking and released a detailed analysis of the threat. The numbers of attacks were escalating steadily and had a sharp hike in the middle of May.
They also said that the new malware was created by a team of Chinese cyber criminals under an advertising and analytics company called Yingmob, which is based in Beijing. The new malware had affected many Android devices and had a significant impact in countries like China, India and USA.
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In the recent reports, they stated that over one million Android devices are being affected in both India and China while 288,800 infected devices in the US and less than 100,000 devices were under attack in UK and Australia.
HummingBad malware enters into the devices through some websites and the process is called “drive-by download attack.” After a successful entry into the device, it sets up a rootkit on Android device by gaining full administrative control over it.
If the rooting method fails, a second component uses a fake system update notification, making users into granting system-level permissions to HummingBad.
According to the reports, it generates revenue of about $300,000 per month through forced app installs and fraudulent ad clicks. This kind of malware is a clear example of how the malware companies can support themselves without depending on others.
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Researchers stated that “Emboldened by this independence, Yingmob and groups like it can focus on honing their skill sets to take malware campaigns in entirely new directions, a trend Check Point researchers believe will escalate.”
The Israel-based Check Point in its analysis stated that Yingmob controls over 85 million devices and can access all sensitive data throughout the world. iPhone users aren’t safe from Yingmob either. Researchers have also found that the group is behind the Yispecter iOS malware.