android
GhostMap Android flaw lets malicious app trigger persistent boot loop
Attackers can force Android devices into a continuous boot loop using a specially crafted app that requires no permissions and only needs to be installed. To cause the persistent denial-of-service (DoS), the app triggers a vulnerability that researchers dubbed ‘GhostMap’ that makes Android map a file into an unallocated memory region. The affected process crashes […]
Hackers use n-day exploits in zero-click attacks on iOS, Android devices
A large-scale watering hole attack associated with Russian hackers has been targeting iOS and Android users visiting compromised sites or fake ones impersonating legitimate portals. The campaign used multiple high-profile websites in the U.S., Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria that delivered the same payload for profiling visitors and their devices. This initial stage allows […]
Google disrupts million-device XCPE Android malware botnet, bans TV box maker
Google and industry partners have dismantled the XCPE malware botnet consisting of more than 1.3 million Android TV streaming TV boxes that Google says its manufacturer intentionally infected with malware to generate revenue through cybercrime activities. The company attributes the botnet with high confidence to Chinese device manufacturer Videostrong Technology Co, accusing the company of deliberately […]
New Android SMS of Death exploit can remotely crash unpatched phones
A security researcher has released a proof-of-concept exploit for a recently patched Android vulnerability, dubbed “SMS of Death” and tracked as CVE-2026-58882, that lets attackers remotely disrupt cellular service or crash phones by sending a specially crafted text message. The zero-click denial-of-service flaw can interrupt ongoing calls, including emergency calls, without requiring any interaction from […]
Android gets AI defenses against messaging scams, fake calls
Google announced new AI-powered defenses against scam messages and call-forwarding abuse on Android, currently rolling out to eligible devices. The new measures aim to address the increased sophistication of scams targeting mobile users, including fraudulent bank alerts and voice-cloning attacks. “Mobile scams have evolved far beyond basic robocalls and phishing texts, turning into sophisticated operations […]
Hirudo Android malware replaces banking apps to evade security checks
A new Android malware called Hirudo steals bank account credentials by replacing legitimate banking apps with modified versions that disable security checks. Researchers identified malicious copies of eight banking apps that use a hooking engine to bypass app-signature, Accessibility, and Play Integrity checks by substituting certificate information or returning empty lists. Threat actors can use […]
Low-cost Android phones ship with residential proxy malware
A malware campaign dubbed ‘Midnight Mimosa’ has been discovered on low-cost Android smartphones that ship with malicious software embedded in their firmware, allowing attackers to silently install apps, perform ad fraud, and turn devices into residential proxies. The malware is believed to have been introduced somewhere in the device supply chain, but it remains unclear […]
New RemControl Android banking malware targets users in Europe and Canada
A new Android malware-as-a-service (MaaS) platform called RemControl is targeting users through malvertising campaigns that impersonate the TVTap IPTV application. Although the infrastructure has been active since at least May, the first samples were observed in July and contained more than 30 phishing overlays designed to steal banking credentials. Researchers at cybersecurity company Group-IB say […]
Google fined €403 million over location data privacy violations
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined Google €403 million ($463M) for multiple GDPR violations related to processing users’ location data. The agency launched an investigation in February 2020 after receiving multiple complaints from consumer rights organizations. It examined three Google features that were active during the GDPR application period from May 25, 2018, through […]
New RatHat Android malware uses AI to automate device control
A new Android malware called RatHat has been discovered, targeting users with an AI-powered subsystem that helps operators remotely navigate compromised devices. Zimperium zLabs researchers analyzed the malware and believe it is linked to threat actors from China after finding it using LLM prompts written in Chinese. The researchers say the malware is distributed through malvertising, […]