14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers from mobile security firm NQ Mobile have identified a new piece of fraudware that targets users from China and Southeastern Asian countries.
Dubbed “Copycat App,” the threat poses as an update for NetDragon 91 Assistant. After the fake update is installed, the malware starts downloading other shady applications in the background.
These apps can subscribe victims to premium SMS services, and they can access various pieces of information on the infected device.
Initially, NQ Mobile identified 193 infections in China, Angola, Hong Kong, Iraq, Macao, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.
“While the superior technology used by NQ Mobile was able to quickly isolate and inoculate this malware with fewer than 200 infections out of billions of downloads of the legitimate app, it is important to note that it was spread across nine countries,” noted Gavin Kim, chief product and commercial officer at NQ Mobile.
“This again, shows that malware knows no boundaries and will continue to spread as more affluent markets are targeted.”