A new family ransomware, which ESET detected as CryCryptor, was targeting Android users in Canada under the guise of an official contact tracing app COVID-19. ESET prevented the attack.
ESET researchers noticed a tweet announcing the discovery of a new Android banking malware as initially thought and, investigating the matter further, found a malicious business ransomware that targeted Android users in Canada.
Using two websites for COVID-19, the cybercriminals behind the malware persuaded users to download an application that appeared to be the official COVID-19 contact detection application when in fact it was ransomware malware.
Αυτή τη στιγμή και τα δύο websites έχουν τεθεί εκτός λειτουργίας. Οι ερευνητές της ESET δημιούργησαν ένα εργαλείο αποκρυπτογράφησης (decryptor) για τα θύματα του CryCryptor, το οποίο βασίζεται σε error (bug) of the malicious application.
CryCryptor malware contains a bug in its code that allows any application installed on the "infected" device to activate any service provided by the application containing the bug. So we created an application that activates the CryCryptor decryption process, ”explained Lukáš ftefanko, who conducted the research.
Starting a business ransomware coincided with the announcement by the Government of Canada to support the development of a national, voluntary coronavirus traceability application called COVID Alert.
"It is clear that the company that uses CryCryptor was designed to take advantage of the official COVID-19 detection application," comments Štefanko.
After shutting down websites, updating security solution vendors and making the free decryptor available, this application is no longer a threat. However, this only applies to a specific version of the CryCryptor family ransomware.
The CryCryptor family is based on open source. "We have notified GitHub, which hosts the code, but they do not have a strong history of dealing with malicious projects," comments Štefanko.
ESET products offer protection against ransomware in the CryCryptor family, detected as Android / CryCryptor.A.
"Apart from using a quality mobile security solution, we advise Android users to install applications only from trusted sources, such as the official store Google Play store, ”Concludes the ESET researcher.
For more information, read the relevant blog “New ransomware uses COVID-19 tracing guise to target Canada? ESET offers decryptor”At WeLiveSecurity.