New Android ‘Xenomorph’ Malware Infects Thousands of Devices

This alert goes out to all Android users: be careful about what you download from the Google Play Store. Within the last couple of weeks, more than 50,000 people have fallen victim to a new malware that has taken Android devices by storm. Beware its name: Xenomorph.

Xeno-What?

You read that correctly. This particular malware, nicknamed Xenomorph, has many people worried about the security of their smartphone. Like most malicious software on the Internet, Xenomorph relies primarily on deception to catch its prey. While it functions much like a trojan horse (which we have previously covered in-depth), it takes a slightly different approach. Instead of approaching users and praying for a click, Xenomorph disguises itself as an “official” application on the Google Play Store and patiently waits for some poor soul to download it. The app responsible for this upset has been discovered to be called “Fast Cleaner,” which promises to improve the performance of the user’s device.

What Kind of Information is Stolen?

The specific information that is targeted is often determined by the type of trojan that is being used. In this instance, Xenomorph is a banking trojan, which aims to steal sensitive financial information, such as an individual’s bank account. Among the tens-of-thousands of users that have already been negatively impacted by Xenomorph, it has already been found to have targeted 56 different European banks.

Should I be Worried?

While Xenomorph has certainly made its mark, it is important to note that it is still in development. In other words, it hasn’t quite reached its full potential yet. Fortunately for you, dear reader, there are effective, short, and easy-to-implement solutions that can keep you safe from the cold, lifeless grip of Xenomorph! For those neat tips and tricks, you can read our other article here.

Here’s an Easy Step

You know what else can protect you from online threats? Getting rid of your digital footprint. There is a surprising amount of information that a miscreant can gather simply by scrolling through your social media- and an even more things they can do with it.

There is, however, a very easy way to get rid of looming risk. By using Redact, you can clean thousands of posts and direct messages across a plethora of platforms. For Pete’s sake, you can even use it to clean your email inbox! What’s the best part about it, you ask? It’s all absolutely free! You can download Redact today on Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Android at redact.dev/download! Get to it!