Malware Disguised As Legitimate Android Apps

Researchers at Check Point Software have spotted a concerning new malware strain, dubbed FluHorse. The malware operates via a set of malicious Android applications, each of which mimics a popular and legitimate app with over 100,000 installs. 

These malicious apps are designed to extract sensitive information, including user credentials and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) codes which are widely used to secure sensitive online services and corporate resources. This typically requires the user to provide two different types of information to authenticate their identity to prove they are who they say they are before access is granted.

FluHorse targets multiple sectors in Eastern Asia and is typically distributed via email. In some cases, high-profile entities such as governmental officials were targeted at the initial stages of the phishing email attack. FluHorse is experiencing a major increase in cyber attacks, in the first quarter of 2023, the average organisation in the APAC region was attacked 1,835 times per week - a 16% increase over the first quarter of 2022.

One of FluHorse’s most worrying aspects is its ability to remain undetected for extended periods of time, making it a persistent and dangerous threat that is difficult to identify.

In their research, Check Point describe the different attacks, and provides examples of the phishing malicious applications, compared to the original, legitimate mimicked android apps, showing how difficult it may be to spot the differences. 

Mimicked Applications 

Cyber criminals often opt for popular apps with a high number of downloads to maximise the impact of their attack and gain greater traction. The attackers chose an eclectic selection of targeted sectors for specific countries, using one mimicked application in each country, including Tawian (Road Tolls and Vietnam (banking). Attackers have devised mimicked applications from reputable companies because they are confident that such applications will attract financially stable customers. This is because the companies behind these applications have a reputation for trustworthiness.

Luring Victims To Download Mimicked Apps

Phishing emails are one of the most common cyber threats that an organization and individuals may face. Phishing attacks can be used to accomplish a variety of goals for an attacker including stealing user credentials, data, and money, as well as delivering malware to a recipient’s computer or luring the victim to download a file. Check Point discovered multiple high-profile entities among the recipients of these specific emails in this attack, including employees of the government sector and large industrial companies.

How To Identify A Spoofed Email

Spoofed emails are part of phishing campaigns, which are designed to trick the recipient into taking some action that helps the attacker. If an email has an embedded link to click, an attachment, or requests some other action, then it is wise to check it for spoofing. In some cases, the attacker may use a real, lookalike address. In others, the value of the 'From' header may be replaced with a legitimate address that is not under the sender’s control.

While the first case can usually be detected by taking a careful look at the sender’s email address, the second are more tricky and require greater caution. Spoofed 'From'  addresses can be identified based on: 

Context: Phishing emails are designed to look legitimate, but they may not always succeed. If an email doesn’t sound like it came from the alleged sender, it may be a spoofed phishing email.

Reply-To: A Reply-To address enables replies to an email from one address to be directed to another. While this has legitimate uses (such as mass email campaigns), it is unusual and should be cause for suspicion for emails coming from a personal account.

Received: The 'Received' header in an email indicates the IP addresses and domain names of the computers and email servers along the path that the email traveled. An email from and to email addresses within the same company should only pass through the company’s email server.

Check Point advises businesses and individuals in the affected regions to remain vigilant and take steps to protect themselves against this sophisticated and potentially devastating new malware. Their full technical analysis can be found HERE

You Might Also Read: 

Trojan Malware Installed On Millions Of Android Devices:

___________________________________________________________________________________________

If you like this website and use the comprehensive 6,500-plus service supplier Directory, you can get unrestricted access, including the exclusive in-depth Directors Report series, by signing up for a Premium Subscription.

  • Individual £5 per month or £50 per year. Sign Up
  • Multi-User, Corporate & Library Accounts Available on Request

Cyber Security Intelligence: Captured Organised & Accessible


 

« Insurers Must Pay Merck's $1.4B Losses For NotPetya
Climate Change & Cyber Security »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Check Point

Directory of Suppliers

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO is the market leader in HPE Non-Stop Security, Risk Management and Compliance.

CSI Consulting Services

CSI Consulting Services

Get Advice From The Experts: * Training * Penetration Testing * Data Governance * GDPR Compliance. Connecting you to the best in the business.

Directory of Cyber Security Suppliers

Directory of Cyber Security Suppliers

Our Supplier Directory lists 8,000+ specialist cyber security service providers in 128 countries worldwide. IS YOUR ORGANISATION LISTED?

TÜV SÜD Academy UK

TÜV SÜD Academy UK

TÜV SÜD offers expert-led cybersecurity training to help organisations safeguard their operations and data.

Resecurity

Resecurity

Resecurity is a cybersecurity company that delivers a unified platform for endpoint protection, risk management, and cyber threat intelligence.

IT Security Guru

IT Security Guru

IT Security Gurus publish daily breaking news. interviews with the key thinkers in IT security, videos and the top 10 stories as picked by our Editor.

Radiant Logic

Radiant Logic

Radiant Logic is a market-leading provider of federated identity solutions based on virtualization, and delivers simple, logical, and standards-based access to all identities within an organization.

StratoKey

StratoKey

StratoKey is an intelligent Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) that secures your cloud and SaaS applications against data breaches, so you can do secure and compliant business in the cloud.

Red Balloon Security (RBS)

Red Balloon Security (RBS)

Red Balloon Security is a leading embedded device security company, delivering deep host-based defense for all devices.

Sistem Integra (SISB)

Sistem Integra (SISB)

SISB provide IT Security Infrastructure & Development, Mechanical & Electrical Services, Fire Safety & Detection Services, Facilities Management & Application Development.

Crypto4A Technologies

Crypto4A Technologies

Crypto4A quantum-ready cybersecurity solutions significantly improve protection for Cloud, loT, Blockchain, V2X, government and military application deployments.

Qmulos

Qmulos

Qmulos’ real-time continuous monitoring risk management suite, Q-Compliance, provides a massively flexible and scalable solution to optimizing operational security.

ERI

ERI

ERI is the largest fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company in the United States.

Q6 Cyber

Q6 Cyber

Q6 Cyber is an innovative threat intelligence company collecting targeted and actionable threat intelligence related to cyber attacks, fraud activity, and existing data breaches.

Firmus

Firmus

As the leading penetration testing services provider in Malaysia, Firmus evaluates the ability of your internal or external information assets to withstand attacks.

Ridge Security

Ridge Security

Ridge Security enables enterprise and web application teams, ISVs, governments, education, DevOps, anyone responsible for ensuring software security to affordably and efficiently test their systems.

Delta Partners

Delta Partners

Delta Partners is a venture capital firm investing in Ireland and the United Kingdom with a strong focus on early stage technology companies.

Turngate

Turngate

Turngate simplify security investigations so you can see employee activities and entitlements in your enterprise in seconds.

Sunnic

Sunnic

Sunnic is a leading provider of comprehensive digital data security technology.

Superna

Superna

Superna is the global leader in data security and cyberstorage solutions for unstructured data, both on-prem and in the hybrid multi-cloud.

4Geeks Academy

4Geeks Academy

4Geeks Academy hosts coding bootcamps that provide students with job-ready tech skills.