Cybersecurity experts are warning smartphone users to be on lookout after a sudden rise in fake porn apps.
The market has seen a flurry of dangerous apps arrive on the internet with some able install malicious software on devices.
Once infected, the fake apps can take over the users' smartphone placing it in the hands of hackers.
Worryingly, it appears that the world's biggest pornographic website, Pornhub, is one of the primary targets.
A number of fake Pornhub apps have recently appeared which let hackers steal personal details and even attempt to trick users out of large sums of money.
That's according to researchers from cybersecurity firm ESET who have discovered the new attack vector.
Unusually, with the current spate of hacks only affecting Android handsets, it appears the hackers are using Google's own security efforts and restrictions against the company in order to access users' personal details.
With the Google Play Store forbidding pornographic apps and video content from being shared, users often attempt to find other ways access adult content.
Chief amongst these, is by downloading the Android application package (APK), that lets users install apps from the web directly onto their phone, circumventing Google's security checks.
But a spike in fake apps has emerged, and are seemingly fooling large numbers of users.
Once downloaded and installed, the malicious apps refuse to play any adult-only videos until users have let the app access their phones in order to "check for viruses."
But those checks aren't real. Instead, users are handing up control of their phone, and once in the hands of hackers a ransom is charged to release the device.
For those who want to regain access to their phone, the hackers are demanding a $100 (£80) payment be made using the hard to trace Bitcoin.
"For users of Android devices it’s important to be aware of ransomware threats and to take preventive measures," the security experts stated.
"Among the most important active measures to take are avoiding unofficial app stores and having a mobile security app installed and kept up to date.
"Additionally, it is important to have a functional backup of all important data from the device."
The security specialists have also warned that simply paying up might not be the best solution - and not just because it will leave you significantly out of pocket.
"As far as ransomware on Android is concerned, we have seen several variants where the code for decrypting files or uninstalling the lock- screen was missing altogether, so paying would not have solved anything," they said.
0 comments: