IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE SIX ANTIVIRUSES ON YOUR MOBILE, DELETE THEM: THEY HIDE COMPUTER VIRUSES.

Discover the antiviruses that bring viruses with them.

The cybersecurity company Check Point has warned about the discovery of six applications that spread viruses aimed at stealing banking information in the Google Play Store and posing as antivirus solutions. Known as 'Sharkbot' this type of attack steals credentials and banking information from Android users. This is a type of threat that entices its victims to enter their credentials into windows that mimic credential input forms.

When the user enters their data, the compromised information is sent to a malicious server. In addition, the researchers have discovered that the authors have implemented a 'geofencing' function that prevents the virus from running if the device users are in China, India, Romania, Russia, Ukraine or Belarus.

Four of the requests came from three developer accounts, Zbynek Adamcik, Adelmio Pagnotto, and Bingo Like Inc.

Checking the history of these addresses, Check Point Research has found that two of them were active since the fall of 2021. Some of the apps linked to them were removed from Google Play, but they still exist in unofficial 'app' markets. . This could mean that the cybercriminal behind it is trying to go unnoticed while still engaging in malicious activities.

The researchers have collected statistical data for a week. Throughout this time, they have counted more than 1,000 addresses of victims, mostly from the United Kingdom and Italy, and that increases by approximately 100 new affected people. According to Google Play statistics, there are 11,000 downloads of the six malicious applications detected.

The cybercriminal has strategically chosen apps on Google Play because they are trusted by users. What is also noteworthy here is that they send messages to victims that contain malicious links, which leads to widespread adoption, "explains Eusebio Nieva, technical director of Check Point, in a statement sent to ABC.

To avoid problems with malicious programs, cybersecurity experts recommend downloading all applications from official stores. In addition, it is advisable to review the ratings of other users and the number of downloads they have received before proceeding with the installation.