MALWARE ATTACKS ANDROID

HUMMINGBIRD MALWARE ATTACKS 10 MILLION ANDROID SMARTPHONES

A malware known as the Hummingbird malware, which generates fake clicks for pop-up adverts has attacked 10 million Android smartphones according to security researchers at Checkpoint and Lookout.

The malware is a rootkit which inserts itself into the operating system of the device, making it difficult to detect and still gives user?s full control. The malware’s objective is not to make the device uncontrollable for the users, nor is it to steal their data. The gang make their revenue by making pop-up adds occur more often, making a predicted ?300,000 a week.

To stay safe from the Hummingbird malware, Google asks all Android smartphone users to install the latest Android update known as ?Marshmallow?. The older versions of the Android operating systems ?Jellybean? and ?KitKat? have loopholes that are being exploited, allowing malware to install on to the devices. The Hummingbird malware is said to be very persistent, so persistent that not even a factory reset will get rid of it.