Skip to main content

Lookalike Telegram and WhatsApp Websites Distributing Malware.

By Editor


Cryptocurrency Stealing Malware

Copycat websites for instant messaging apps like Telegram and WhatApp are being used to distribute trojanized versions and infect Android and Windows users with cryptocurrency clipper malware.

"All of them are after victims' cryptocurrency funds, with several targeting cryptocurrency wallets," ESET researchers Lukáš Štefanko and Peter Strýček said in a new analysis.

While the first instance of clipper malware on the Google Play Store dates back to 2019, the development marks the first time Android-based clipper malware has been built into instant messaging apps.

"Moreover, some of these apps use optical character recognition (OCR) to recognize text from screenshots stored on the compromised devices, which is another first for Android malware," the Slovak cybersecurity firm added.


The attack chain begins with unsuspecting users clicking on fraudulent ads on Google search results that lead to hundreds of sketchy YouTube channels, which then direct them to lookalike Telegram and WhatsApp websites.

What's novel about the latest batch of clipper malware is that it's capable of intercepting a victim's chats and replacing any sent and received cryptocurrency wallet addresses with addresses controlled by the threat actors.

Another cluster of clipper malware makes use of OCR to find and steal seed phrases by leveraging a legitimate machine learning plugin called ML Kit on Android, thereby making it possible to empty the wallets.

A third cluster is designed to keep tabs on Telegram conversations for certain Chinese keywords related to cryptocurrencies, both hard-coded and received from a server, and if so, exfiltrate the complete message, along with the username, group or channel name, to a remote server.

Lastly, a fourth set of Android clippers come with capabilities to switch the wallet address as well as harvest device information and Telegram data such as messages and contacts.

The rogue Android APK package names are listed below -

  • org.telegram.messenger
  • org.telegram.messenger.web2
  • org.tgplus.messenger
  • io.busniess.va.whatsapp
  • com.whatsapp

ESET said it also found two Windows-based clusters, one which is engineered to swap wallet addresses and a second group that distributes remote access trojans (RATs) in place of clippers to gain control of infected hosts and perpetrate crypto theft.

WEBINAR
Discover the Hidden Dangers of Third-Party SaaS Apps

Are you aware of the risks associated with third-party app access to your company's SaaS apps? Join our webinar to learn about the types of permissions being granted and how to minimize risk.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT

All the analyzed RAT samples are based on the publicly available Gh0st RAT, barring one, which employs more anti-analysis runtime checks during its execution and uses the HP-socket library to communicate with its server.

It's also worth pointing out that these clusters, despite following an identical modus operandi, represent disparate sets of activity likely developed by different threat actors.

The campaign, like a similar malicious cyber operation that came to light last year, is geared towards Chinese-speaking users, primarily motivated by the fact that both Telegram and WhatsApp are blocked in the country.

"People who wish to use these services have to resort to indirect means of obtaining them," the researchers said. "Unsurprisingly, this constitutes a ripe opportunity for cybercriminals to abuse the situation."

Source; THN. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UGANDA ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO ELIMINATE NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION CARDS (IDs) FOR 2021 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

By Editor
The elimination of using National IDs (Ndagamuntu) for the 2021 elections should not have come as a surprise. One would be very NAIVE to think that Bobi Wine has not prepared for this in his Business Plan under the RISK section. It is public knowledge that our EC is not independent.  It is also public knowledge that Military Dictator Yoweri Museveni will never lose an election. What stunned us this morning is when we noticed that on social media, people were mocking Bobi with his "get your Ndagamuntu".  We are on record for saying to all Our readers that the National ID is like Apartheid in South Africa. Students of History would know how those IDs were being used to arrest people, deny them jobs, deny them basic services. Consequently, Bobi was not wrong and will never be wrong on the Ndagamuntu. Except the ones attacking him and mocking him forget that in Uganda, now, no National ID (Ndagamuntu), no service.  If you have not been denied registering your child i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Here is Why Our Utterances For Praying Jesus And God To Come Liberate Ugandans, May Be Misplaced. This Phrase is like inform of a Letter To Some Categorized Section Of Ugandans.

By Editor
https://m.facebook.com/yusufosuta/photos/a.1896701010557789/2070383359856219/?type=3 OPEN LETTER TO NRM SUPPORTERS - NATIONAL ROBBERS MOVEMENT. .................................................................................. Last week of March, a friend told me to pray for Uganda.  I told him that he was an Idiot and we have prayed for too long and we are still hungry and sick and Jesus is not coming soon to liberate us. He then ignored the STUPID and sent me a picture we all now know.  It got me totally messed up.  This guy was telling me to pray then sends a picture of men bowing down in blood.  He might have meant guns but I blocked him because his utterances of praying for Uganda were misplaced. I unblocked him 3 weeks later and asked him about praying and assassinations.  His reply "eithrr prayers or guns or both". I hate violence with a passion.  So he is now blocked in like FOREVER. Do you feel safe?  Do not feel safe. Uganda regim...
Post a Comment
Read more

Parliament Urges Government to Provide Shs 4 Billion to Media Houses to Run Awareness Campaign on Tourism in Uganda.

By Editor
Parliament also urged Gov’t to provide additional Shs4Bn to UTB to engage international and national media houses in production of positive media stories for improved destination image, following reports of drop in number of tourists from US, Europe and China visiting Uganda. "The National Development Plan targeted to cumulatively attract 281,760 International Tourist arrivals from US, Europe & China but only 67,252 arrivals were registered by the end of the first half of FY 2023/24. The U.S, Europe & China were key target source for leisure tourist who stay longer than business tourists. However, statistics show that international arrivals from the aforementioned areas have continue to drop. The UTB requires Shs4Bn to engage international & national media houses in production of positive tourism stories to improve destination perception in light of recent controversies that shade the destination in a bad light. However, this has remained unfunded,” said La...
Post a Comment
Read more