How quickly can the phone be infected with a virus, and what will happen to it after that?
Smartphones and mobile communications are still shrouded in various myths and prejudices. It is said that from the telephone conversations tumors form, during the movement the communication signal weakens, and the base stations kill people. In the next cycle of articles, Yota learns that this is true, not sparing his own employees and their smartphones.
Malicious programs can charge money from a bank card, extract personal information, block the screen and turn a smartphone into a brick - this is not a myth at all. We decided to check how easy it is to infect the phone with a virus.
We tried to infect the smartphone, after disabling the antivirus and security features. The victim was the Motorola Moto G3 on Android 6.0.1 platform.
The first attempts were unsuccessful:
')
Without leaving hopes of turning the device into a brick, we decided to install the KingRoot root on the phone.
Root on Android is the rights of the main administrator, which open up possibilities for controlling the device that are inaccessible to the average user. To get root, you need to install a special application.
Infected KingRoot contains malicious code that steals user data.
And here we were waiting for a surprise. Of all the variety of devices on Android, this utility is not installed on our Motorola Moto G3!
In despair, we ask friends and colleagues to send all dubious SMS and letters with links to our number. After clicking on one of the links, we find the following pop-up window:
We confirm the action.
After that, the Playmarket opens with a suggestion to install Doctor Clean. It promises to speed up the system, remove unnecessary files and save battery. But the reviews hint that something is wrong with him.
Doctor Clean requests access to all available phone features. After permission, he installs two more applications for “Acceleration” and “Going to sleep”. One of these programs installs two more applications.
The next day we get an ad that covers the entire screen. Every time after unlocking the screen we see another colorful banner. In order to answer an incoming call, we have to look for a cross, folding advertising. Along with this, the smartphone starts to work slower. Periodically, the lock screen stops responding to touch. Restarting the device helps restart.
After that, Kaspersky Anti-Virus was installed, but he found nothing. Meanwhile, the phone starts to slow down. Malwarebytes' anti-spyware Anti-Malware found five problems. All strange applications have been removed.
It turned out that installing malware on the phone is not so easy: the system, the built-in security applications and antiviruses successfully recognize it and carefully protect us. To infect the phone, you need to carefully ignore all system warnings and disable security features in advance.
It used to be easier to download malicious applications. Now all applications in PlayMarket and the AppStore are audited. In order to install an unofficial application, you will need to disable the download function in the settings only from trusted sources.
How to understand that on a smartphone a virus?
SMS, messages in the mail and messengers with dubious links.
They are disguised as job offers, letters from the police, alerts from the antivirus, sales in online stores, and so on. In the text of each of them there is an incomprehensible link to which it is necessary to go to find out the “details”.
Clicked on the link - the virus began to download.
Downloading unlicensed programs and questionable applications.
Along with them, associated malware is often installed on the phone.
Public Wi-Fi.
Through unprotected Wi-Fi access points, viruses intercept personal information of users to access personal accounts and system data of the smartphone.
Sites and forums with pop-up windows and banners.
They offer "download quickly and without registration" anything by clicking on the link.
Often, banners look like “warnings from the Ministry of Internal Affairs” or notifications “Your phone is infected with a virus!”. Their goal is to sow the user to panic, so that he will immediately follow the link, transfer money to the account of the extortionist, or enter the password from his personal account.
Infected flash drives.
Sometimes malware disguised as an application is saved to a memory card. When you insert an old flash drive into a new smartphone, you infect it.
How fast is it?
The viruses themselves weigh a little. Depending on the speed of the Internet connection, the "infection" enters the phone within a period of a couple of seconds to 5 minutes.
What happens if the virus still penetrates the device? For example, you agree to update the Chrome browser, forgetting that you did not install it.
What happens next
How to understand that the phone is infected:
The entire screen closes the banner with obscene content, advertising or the demand for money. But occasionally the users are “lucky” and the seals are depicted on the banner.
Where to look for malware and how to distinguish it from a normal application?
Most often they are disguised as normal applications with the .apk extension and saved to the Download folder.
It should be alerted if, during installation, an unfamiliar application requests access to paid features and access restriction:
Malicious programs can charge money from a bank card, extract personal information, block the screen and turn a smartphone into a brick - this is not a myth at all. We decided to check how easy it is to infect the phone with a virus.
We tried to infect the smartphone, after disabling the antivirus and security features. The victim was the Motorola Moto G3 on Android 6.0.1 platform.
The first attempts were unsuccessful:
')
- Clicking on external links from the site Kinogo22.net for the request “Watch It Online in Good Quality” - to no avail,
- Download jokes with freesoft.ru/prikoly/download - jokes are, no viruses,
- We went to the site watchmygirlfriend.gfpornbox.com and followed the links - no viruses (no, this is not an advertisement).
- Looking for free games on dubious sites - all the proposed options were official.
- With links on request “Nude photos of stars”, nothing criminal was loaded either.
- After a couple of days of searching for malware, we received an SMS with a tempting offer to make an “exchange with surcharge” and eagerly followed the attached link. Failed to connect to the site, “server not found”.
- We went to the site with a dubious draw. They answered all questions at random, won. Still would. :) A letter confirming the prize should have arrived at the address indicated by us. But it did not come.
Without leaving hopes of turning the device into a brick, we decided to install the KingRoot root on the phone.
Root on Android is the rights of the main administrator, which open up possibilities for controlling the device that are inaccessible to the average user. To get root, you need to install a special application.
Infected KingRoot contains malicious code that steals user data.
And here we were waiting for a surprise. Of all the variety of devices on Android, this utility is not installed on our Motorola Moto G3!
In despair, we ask friends and colleagues to send all dubious SMS and letters with links to our number. After clicking on one of the links, we find the following pop-up window:
We confirm the action.
After that, the Playmarket opens with a suggestion to install Doctor Clean. It promises to speed up the system, remove unnecessary files and save battery. But the reviews hint that something is wrong with him.
Doctor Clean requests access to all available phone features. After permission, he installs two more applications for “Acceleration” and “Going to sleep”. One of these programs installs two more applications.
The next day we get an ad that covers the entire screen. Every time after unlocking the screen we see another colorful banner. In order to answer an incoming call, we have to look for a cross, folding advertising. Along with this, the smartphone starts to work slower. Periodically, the lock screen stops responding to touch. Restarting the device helps restart.
After that, Kaspersky Anti-Virus was installed, but he found nothing. Meanwhile, the phone starts to slow down. Malwarebytes' anti-spyware Anti-Malware found five problems. All strange applications have been removed.
It turned out that installing malware on the phone is not so easy: the system, the built-in security applications and antiviruses successfully recognize it and carefully protect us. To infect the phone, you need to carefully ignore all system warnings and disable security features in advance.
It used to be easier to download malicious applications. Now all applications in PlayMarket and the AppStore are audited. In order to install an unofficial application, you will need to disable the download function in the settings only from trusted sources.
How to understand that on a smartphone a virus?
SMS, messages in the mail and messengers with dubious links.
They are disguised as job offers, letters from the police, alerts from the antivirus, sales in online stores, and so on. In the text of each of them there is an incomprehensible link to which it is necessary to go to find out the “details”.
Clicked on the link - the virus began to download.
Downloading unlicensed programs and questionable applications.
Along with them, associated malware is often installed on the phone.
Public Wi-Fi.
Through unprotected Wi-Fi access points, viruses intercept personal information of users to access personal accounts and system data of the smartphone.
Sites and forums with pop-up windows and banners.
They offer "download quickly and without registration" anything by clicking on the link.
Often, banners look like “warnings from the Ministry of Internal Affairs” or notifications “Your phone is infected with a virus!”. Their goal is to sow the user to panic, so that he will immediately follow the link, transfer money to the account of the extortionist, or enter the password from his personal account.
Infected flash drives.
Sometimes malware disguised as an application is saved to a memory card. When you insert an old flash drive into a new smartphone, you infect it.
How fast is it?
The viruses themselves weigh a little. Depending on the speed of the Internet connection, the "infection" enters the phone within a period of a couple of seconds to 5 minutes.
What happens if the virus still penetrates the device? For example, you agree to update the Chrome browser, forgetting that you did not install it.
What happens next
How to understand that the phone is infected:
- Quickly run out of money on the phone. At the same time, the details show SMS that you did not send and calls that you did not make.
- Traffic expend incomprehensible application.
- The speed of the smartphone falls, it heats up, quickly discharges, applications are "buggy" and do not open. Malicious programs operate in the background, forcing the device to work with a vengeance.
The entire screen closes the banner with obscene content, advertising or the demand for money. But occasionally the users are “lucky” and the seals are depicted on the banner.
Where to look for malware and how to distinguish it from a normal application?
Most often they are disguised as normal applications with the .apk extension and saved to the Download folder.
It should be alerted if, during installation, an unfamiliar application requests access to paid features and access restriction:
- View and send SMS,
- Telephone calls,
- Access to linked credit cards,
- Getting admin rights.
- If the application is not downloaded from the official store and asks for access to confidential data - be sure that this is a virus.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/340756/
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