In 2019, mobile device usage is at an all-time high. Cybercriminals are gearing towards mobile devices because of the shift in user behavior. Recently, Android phones were attacked with an "unremovable" malware. With today's advancements in technology, cybercriminals are using a variety of techniques to get access to personal and financial information and spam people's mobile devices.
xHelper, the invasive and unremovable malware, was first spotted in March 2019 but expanded to infect more than 32,000 devices by August, and now reaching a total of 45,000 infections in October. Unfortunately, this malware is on an upward trajectory and is infecting new victims every day. This malware is the most prevalent in the United States, Russia, and India.
The xHelper malware sends users to web pages hosting Android apps through wed directs. These sites demonstrate to users on how to side-load unofficial Android apps from outside of the Play Store. There is code hidden in these apps downloads the xHelper trojan.
When the trojan is on the device, it shows intrusive popup ads and notification spam. The advertisements and notifications redirect users to the Play Store, where victims are asked to install other apps. If they go through with this, people involved with xHelper make money from those install commissions.
With this malware, it installs itself as a separate standalone service, which means that uninstalling the original app won't remove xHelper. The trojan will thrive on users' devices, continuing to show popups and notification spam.
The bottom line:
xHelper is continually evolving with different codes, so it's on an upward trajectory that antivirus companies are trying to combat, as it is gaining momentum.
Lehigh Valley Technology offers Mobile Device Management. Tools like this help to mitigate risk and control damage from breaches. We understand how cybercriminals work and take proactive measures to ensure that your personal information is protected and your device is free from spam. More and more businesses are seeing their workplace transition to a mobile workforce, so at Lehigh Valley Technology, we stay ahead of the curve to keep our customers protected. Our Mobile Device Management minimizes those threats.
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