Millions of Android Devices Hacked for Monero Cryptocurrency Mining
It has become quite common for various malware to target different computers owned by people from all around the world with the main purpose to use them to mine cryptocurrencies. However, it seems that now a new type of malware has managed to gain access to millions of Android devices.
Malware infects Android devices to mine Monero
The new type of hacking is called cryptojacking and has become more and more common. Cybercriminals are seeking to mine Monero, and now they managed to infect millions of Android devices with malware. Malwarebytes reported that a mining campaign conducted by cybercriminals has managed to redirect millions of Android users to a website that of course infected them with malware.
The hijacked devices were subsequently used to mine cryptocurrencies. Exactly when the "drive-by" mining campaign started is not very sure, but reportedly it could have been out since November, 2017. However, Malwarebytes indicated that there were five domains on which users were redirected to and these domains received no less than 800,000 visits per days.
“While Android users may be redirected from regular browsing, we believe that infected apps containing ad modules are loading similar chains leading to this cryptomining page. This is unfortunately common in the Android ecosystem, especially with so-called “free” apps.”
Researchers indicated that this was not the only such hack for cryptocurrency mining. Of course, both PC and Android users can try to keep their devices secure from malware by regularly scanning the devices using anti-malware programs and avoiding clicking on links that don’t seem secure. Android users are also highly advised to use safe means to save apps.
