BeatBanker Malware Spoofs Starlink App To Take Over Android Devices

The security researchers at Kaspersky have detailed a new malware campaign targeting Android users, which aims to take over a victim’s device to abscond with user data while simultaneously putting it work mining cryptocurrencies. This new malware, dubbed BeatBanker, deploys several interesting techniques for its distribution while flying under the radar once installed on a device.

Users have been educated on the importance of sticking to official sources when downloading apps to their devices, and attackers are leveraging this to their advantage to spread BeatBanker. Targets are directed to a website that is a mirror image of the Google Play Store, which hosts apps that appear legitimate, such as Brazil’s Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS), which is the country’s social security portal.

Once installed, it takes advantage of granted accessibility permissions to display a web page that mimics cryptocurrency apps to steal funds from a user ...