Android

Evolving Malware: Dropper is around the corner on the Play Store

Published

5 months ago

October 31, 2022

Malware also evolves, and they do so to evade the most recent and updated security systems that Google puts in defense of Android, the Play Store, and the applications contained therein.

The virtual store has always been a breeding ground for this type of danger, and despite the efforts conducted by the Mountain View experts, Android 13 has already fallen under attack by thieves.

The most used technique in recent times is that of malware dropper – which uses apparently harmless apps as they do not contain malicious code themselves – and therefore can pass Google checks without problems – but undermine the security of smartphones and of unsuspecting users by postponing the introduction of the malware at a later time, through a (fake) update to be completed through a bogus Play Store page with which the connection to accessibility services is made.

And, as often happens, banking apps and those belonging to the finance category are targeted. Threat Fabric confirms the increasingly frequent exploitation of this type of technique by identifying different apps on the Play Store that use it.

SharkBoat, for example, is a banking Trojan capable of stealing personal data and SMS (the latter especially to trace 2FA codes) and remotely taking control of the smartphone. One of the apps that hide it is Codice Fiscale 2022, downloaded in Italy thousands of times without users realizing its danger. It is used for the calculation of taxes, but in reality, its goal is anything but.

Once downloaded and opened, the app requests the download of an update from a fake Play Store, with which the malware is installed inside our smartphone. Easy to fall for it, because the page looks exactly the same as the original one.

The File Manager app also behaves in the same way and targets banks in Italy, the UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, Austria, Australia, and the United States.

There is not only SharkBoat as a dropper: Vultur, for example, is a banking trojan through which attackers can have access to remote screen streaming and record clicks and gestures, thus stealing the passwords filled in by the user.

In this case, the app update request (apparently harmless) takes place via a false Google Play warning: once authorization is given, the malware is downloaded. The apps identified are Recover Audio, Images & Videos, Zetter Authentication, and My Finances Tracker: the droppers are AES encrypted to hide the strings.

The “good news” is that manual user intervention is required for the malware to be installed – and this applies to both SharkBoat and Vultur.

The bad news, though, is that the fake websites that mimic the Play Store and the alerts are so similar to the originals that it’s easy to fall into the trap. The advice is always to check the URL with extreme care before proceeding and not to authorize updates from unknown sources.

Android

How to Enable Google Play Protect

Published

2 months ago

February 9, 2023

The Digit News

Google Play Protect is a security feature offered by Google for Android devices. It helps protect your phone from malware, spyware, and other harmful applications by scanning all installed apps regularly. The feature is automatically enabled on your phone, but you may want to enable it manually if you have disabled it or if you have a new phone. In this article, we will guide you step by step on how to enable Google Play Protect on your Android device.

Step 1: Open Google Play Store

The first step is to open the Google Play Store app on your Android phone. You can find the app on your home screen or app drawer.

Step 2: Go to the Play Protect section

Once you have opened the Google Play Store, tap on the three horizontal lines located on the top left corner of the screen. This will open a menu, and you need to scroll down to find “Play Protect.” Tap on it to access the Play Protect settings.

Step 3: Enable Play Protect

Once you have opened the Play Protect section, you will see a toggle switch at the top of the screen. If it is turned off, you need to turn it on. If the toggle switch is already turned on, then the feature is already enabled, and you don’t need to do anything further.

Step 4: Check for updates

If you have just enabled Google Play Protect, it is a good idea to check for any updates. To do this, go back to the Google Play Store, and tap on the three horizontal lines again. Scroll down to “My apps & games,” and tap on it. You will see a list of all the apps installed on your phone, and if any updates are available, they will be listed here. Make sure to update all the apps to ensure that they are protected by Google Play Protect.

Step 5: Scan your device

After you have enabled Google Play Protect, it is important to scan your device to check if there are any harmful apps installed. To do this, go back to the Google Play Protect section and tap on “Scan device.” Google will then scan your phone for any harmful apps, and if any are found, you will be notified. You can then choose to remove the app or keep it installed.

Step 6: Keep your device updated

It is important to keep your Android device updated with the latest security patches and updates. To do this, go to the Settings app on your phone and tap on “Software update.” Check if any updates are available, and if they are, install them. This will help keep your device protected from any new threats that may emerge.

Step 7: Be careful when downloading apps

Google Play Protect is a great feature, but it is not foolproof. It is still important to be careful when downloading apps from the Google Play Store. Make sure to only download apps from reputable sources and check the reviews and ratings before downloading. Avoid downloading apps from unknown sources, as they may contain malware or spyware that can harm your device.

In conclusion

Google Play Protect is a valuable feature for Android devices that helps protect your phone from harmful apps. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can enable Google Play Protect on your Android phone and ensure that it is protected from any potential threats. Remember to keep your device updated and be careful when downloading apps to ensure that your phone remains protected.

Android

How to hide contacts and text messages on Android phone – step by step

Published

3 months ago

January 7, 2023

The Digit News

How to hide contacts and text messages on Android phone

Have you ever wondered how to hide your contacts and messages on Android quickly? Also, do you want to know if it is possible to hide mobile phone messages and contacts so no one can see them? So you need to know that there may be people interested in viewing both scheduled contacts and text messages for various reasons, so you better watch out.

In this article, we will teach you how to hide your contacts and messages in Android d, keeping in mind that it is a necessary step-by-step that you should especially consider if you are concerned about your privacy. Did you know that you can also recover deleted SMS on Android?

The problem is that android There are no default options for this, so we have to rely on two apps specially developed for it.

Hide SMS with KeepSMS

Download the KeepSM Tak app from this link
when you have downloaded and installed or you need to enter your PIN
The key will be PIN enter your SMS anytime
Then when you press the + sign, enabled in the upper right corner, you will hide the new SMS that has arrived

As you can see, the procedure is really simple and then you will see that that particular message no longer appears on your messaging app, so you can hide an entire chat with someone in just a second.

In the same way, if you want to make this chat visible again, you need to click Edit in the upper left corner of the respective application and get the desired chats back.

Hide messages and contacts with Vault-Hide SMS

Download the Vault-Hide SMS app from this link
Again, you need to pin your account security
In the application, you need to select SMS and Contacts, Hide phone numbers, From contacts
then you can select contacts and the system will ask if you agree, to which you must answer Yes

Once you are done with both the steps we just learned, all the texts and contacts from your Android mobile that you want will be hidden and then you won’t have to worry about anyone seeing them. In any case, remember that this step-by-step will not hide WhatsApp or messenger conversations from you and that they will still be visible to absolutely everyone.

Hiding messages is quick and easy

For many people, the so-called protect your privacy from prying eyes. It is essential and very common when we talk about mobile phone messaging, to the point of trying to hide chats. The good thing is that you can easily achieve this with the apps we have already mentioned, but also without their help.

With KeepSMS and Vault-Hide SMS, you can have your conversations hidden without any inconvenience of entering a security PIN.

Yes, we can help ourselves to hide messages with applications, but installing applications of this type on a mobile phone can be suspicious if we do not want them to notice. The solution to this is your mobile offers an integrated message archiving option.

Few people know this option exists, so archiving messages is great if you don’t want to download apps or don’t have enough space. storage in a mobile phone.

All you have to do is access your messages, select the one you want to hide, press options, and the archive option will appear there. Then you can see them under the news menu option that says archived. yes, you changed mobile it will be possible to recover SMS from your old mobile.

If you value your privacy, these apps and our archived messages trick will make everything easier and more convenient for you. Note that there is also a virus that causes SMS to send itself.

Other inquiries that we cannot ignore in the kind of situations that arise in forums and social networks relate to the following:

Hide WhatsApp messages app, apps to hide calls and messages, hide WhatsApp apps, hide WhatsApp apps, how to hide text messages in the galaxy, hide messages app on iPhone, apps to hide WhatsApp messages on android or hide text messages on iPhone. Any other questions about it, please don’t hesitate to contact us to help you.

You did hide SMS and contacts with this step-by-step we just showed you?

Android

How to Block Spam and Scam SMS on Android

Published

6 months ago

October 4, 2022

The Digit News

How to Block Spam and Scam SMS on Android

Since messaging services using an internet connection are increasingly being used. Text messaging or SMS services are increasingly being abandoned by users.

And currently, the contents of SMS mostly only contain Spam, Fraud information, Promotions, and others. That’s why it’s important to know how to block the SMS if you feel disturbed.

And on Android phones, you can block these Spam SMS without using any app.

Here’s how to block spam SMS and scams on Android phones:

1. Open the SMS App on your Android phone

2. Select Settings (Three dots icon)

3. Select Spam & Block

4. Next, select the Blocked number

5. And add the number you want to block the SMS message from, there are several options methods for adding the number to be blocked that you can, including: