Finance

HummingBad Malware Signs, Protection: Creators Earn $300K Monthly, 10M Infected Devices Expected To Increase In Asia, US; Google Play Answer

By

HummingBad malware creators are making $300,000 a month and may increase as the number of infected devices is expected to rise as it spreads worldwide. HummingBad, the android device infecting malware, may have infected 10 million Android phones already.

HummingBad creators are earning from the malware in an alarming amount. Researchers have revealed that they are making $300,000; increasing daily as more are more devices are infected.

The HummingBad malware was reported to have spread in China, India, the Philippines, and Indonesia. However, Android phone owners living in other countries are not safe from the said mobile infection as there have been 288,000 reported infections in the United States also, CNET reported.

The malware does not just act as a spy to download and steal information from one's phone like what a malware usually does. Instead, HummingBad can transfer personal information, spy on the victims, and turn the infected phones into botnets, since it also has the ability to get root access. The malware is being used purely for revenue generation by remotely clicking on ads to make them seem popular than they actually are. They also try to install fake versions of popular apps, Digital Spy reported.

The HummingBad malware does not make the aforementioned $300,000 per month by actually taking it from the victims, but having infected their phones makes the profit for its creators. The amount may not seem much, but the fact that the creators are making this money passively poses a concern. Usually, when someone has his device infected with a malware, obvious signs can be spotted, but through this method, the signs are far subtler.

HummingBad malware protection for android devices include downloading apps only from Google Play and making sure to check user feedbacks before doing so. Device users should also be aware of links before clicking, as well as use malware scanning and protection program.

© 2024 University Herald, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics