FLocker Ransom Software for Android Taints Smart TV Having Common OS

Trend Micro recently unearthed a ransomware strain that never before infected Smart TVs wherein with the aid of FLocker in an updated edition, hackers targeted the devices on which Android OS would be running.

The FLocker emerged in more than 1,200 variants during April 2016 when the threat showed a clearly discernible development.

While this' no confirmed news from Trend Micro, the ransom window on device screen appears same as the ones the ransom software Cyber.Police (Dogspectus) used. During April, when FLocker development spiked, Zimperium along with Blue Coat notified that Cyber.Police was capable of contaminating Android mobiles devoid of any user response. Softpedia.com posted this, June 13, 2016.

Behaving like one police Trojan, the FLocker tries creating fear in the victim's mind so he would willingly pay. The malware asserts it's the "United States Cyber Police." So when FLocker gets installed followed with the television getting locked, the attacker accusingly, but falsely, tells the victim he committed an offense and then directs him for paying $200 worth of iTunes presentation cards so that the locked Smart television/mobile device can be retrieved.

Ironically, the very benefit that accrues to the owners through use of multiple gadgets operating via one common OS serves benefit to the crooks too. So writes Duan that utilizing multiple devices whose operating system is common makes many people's lives easier. Nevertheless, when malware impacts even one device from that multiple, the mentioned malicious software may impact the other devices as well.

Once end-users pull down the malevolent applications, FLocker waits for half-an-hour in hiding. It even eludes anti-viruses by remaining concealed within one HTML file stored within "Assets" folder that contains raw data. This HTML document hides one DEX file by using malevolent routines.

Duan says the malware can be removed once end-users are able to activate ADB debugging. For this, they require making a connection between their device and a computer while execute ADB shell followed with running the "PM clear %pkg%" command. Subsequently, FLocker's process gets killed while the screen gets unlocked. After this, end-users require disabling the device's administrative rights issued to the app followed with uninstalling the application.

» SPAMfighter News - 6/20/2016