Fake COVID-19 mobile app trying to get ransom in bitcoin
Their latest development, the ‘COVID 19 Tracker,’ a coronavirus tracking mobile application, that threatens to expose all your social media accounts, and format your cell phone’s memory if you don’t pay a $100 ransom in bitcoin.
The phoney android application was discovered by the security research team of Domain Tools; while recently monitoring the lately registered domains, bearing the names coronavirus or COVID-19.
How ‘COVID 19 Tracker will strip you off bitcoin
Domain Tools released a full report on how the fraudulent app works on March 13. Normally, when an Android user wants to download an app, they visit the Google Play Store. However, the ‘COVID 19 Tracker’ app is hosted on a coronavirusapp[.]site website.
The website entices unsuspecting targets to download the android app which will provide them with a coronavirus tracker map. The map looks exactly like a virus tracking map showing statistical data as well as a heat map of the spread.
Once the victim opens the mobile application, it will request for lock screen permission so as to notify you when a COVID-19 victim has been confirmed nearby. Moreover, the app requests for permission to access the phone’s accessibility settings for “active state monitoring."
Indeed, the mobile app has ransomware dubbed ‘CovidLock’ that employs the “screen-lock attack” approach to lock the user from the phone. The ransomware forces a change in the password of the phone.
Afterwards, when the ransomware is active, the screen turns into a note which asks the user to submit a $100 worth of BTC ransom in 48 hours. Failure to which, the note claims it will clean the phone, delete all the videos, pictures and contacts. More so, the note claims that it will expose your social media accounts to everybody. In addition, it gives this threat:
“Your GPS is watched and your location is known, if you try anything stupid your phone will be
automatically erased."
No victims yet
As of press time, the BTC address provided to send the ransom is empty. The app has not yet claimed any victims.
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