This sneaky Android malware tricks users into thinking their phones are turned off

Malware is so pervasive that it’s impossible to avoid it completely, but if you’re an Android phone user, then you might definitely want to keep an eye out for a new strain of malware called Octo. This is according to a report from ThreatFabric who has published a report detailing the malware and what it can do.

At its core, Octo is basically a trojan which is a form of malware that allows the attacker access to your phone. What makes this particular form of attack really sneaky is that the hackers can remotely turn your Android phone screen black by lowering the screen brightness to zero and disabling all notifications.

This means that as far as you’re concerned, your phone is currently off, letting you think that nothing is going on. The trojan will also allow the attacker to see what you’re typing on the keyboard, including PINs and passwords that you might use to log into your bank account. This in turn would grant them access to your financials and transfer money out of it.

The report goes on to claim that one app in the Play Store called Fast Cleaner was actually infected with the malware. The app purportedly claims to be able to get rid of unused apps on your phone, cool down the CPU, and more, and has since been downloaded and installed over 50,000 times.

While malware will always be around, there are ways to protect yourself, such as checking reviews of apps to look for red flags, and also to download apps from trusted sources and developers. It isn’t 100% foolproof, but it does lower your chances of getting hit with malware.

Source: The New York Post