Microsoft Alerts Users About The New Android Ransomware

Microsoft has alerted its users about the new mobile phone ransomware attack. The ransomware takes advantage of the incoming call notifications and the android home button to get stored behind the locked screen.

The android ransomware named "MalLocker.B" has been found to be reconstructed with the help of new techniques to weaken the security.

These cyber attacks are continuously growing for the last 3 months. There has been a rise of 50% noted in the daily average attacks compared to the first six months of 2020.

Furthermore, Microsoft cited in its blog:

"This ransomware family is known for being hosted on arbitrary websites and circulated on online forums using various social engineering lures, including masquerading as popular apps, cracked games, or video players,".

The malware came to Microsoft's notice due to its improved and malicious behaviours. The malware is a challenge to identify by the security system and dodge the digital defense easily.

The ransomware impacts the android interface using the below-mentioned techniques:

Firstly, it affects the call notification which appears on your mobile screen during an incoming call, including the caller's information.

Secondly, the malware affects the "onUserLeaveHint()" function. That means whenever we minimize one application and try to open another app, the "MalLocker.B" comes into action and restricts the user to go to the home screen or open the new app.

On this, Microsoft stated:

"This creates a chain of events that triggers the automatic pop-up of the ransomware screen without doing infinite redraw or posing as a system window,"

Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team concludes:

"This new mobile ransomware variant is an important discovery because the malware exhibits behaviors that have not been seen before and could open doors for other malware to follow."

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