Flubot malware: All you need to know and what to do if your device is infected

 An international law enforcement operation, involving 11 countries, has been successful in taking down one of the fastest-spreading mobile malware till date. Known as FluBot, this Android malware was spreading aggressively through SMSes, stealing passwords, online banking details and other sensitive information from infected smart phones across the world.

As per experts, the Flubot was first spotted in December 2020. It gained traction in 2021 and subsequently compromised a huge number of devices worldwide, including significant incidents in Spain and Finland.

However, the FluBot infrastructure is now under the control of law enforcement agencies, putting a stop to its destructive spiral.

How criminals took control over devices:

-Flubot was installed via text messages. It asked Android users to click a malicious link and install an app.

-Once installed, the malicious flubot asked the accessibility permissions.

-Criminals were then able to steal banking app credentials, cryptocurrency account details and disable built-in security mechanisms.

-This malware spread widely due to its ability to access the infected smartphone’s contact list.

What to do if your device is infected?

There are two signs that an app may be malware

; -You tap an app and it doesn’t open

-You try to uninstall an app and it shows an error message

If you think an app may be malware, reset the phone to factory settings.