"FakeCalls Android Malware Targets Financial Firms in South Korea"

Security researchers at Check Point Research have spotted a new Android vishing (voice phishing) malware tool targeting victims in South Korea by impersonating 20 leading financial institutions in the region.  Dubbed "FakeCalls," the malware baits victims with fake loans, requesting them to confirm their credit card numbers, which are then stolen.  The researchers stated that FakeCalls malware possesses the functionality of a Swiss army knife, able not only to conduct its primary aim but also to extract private data from the victim's device.  The researchers discovered over "2500 samples of the FakeCalls malware in a combination of mimicked financial organizations and implemented evasion techniques." Further, the researchers said the malware developers made extra efforts to protect their malware from antivirus programs, implementing several unique evasion techniques not previously observed in the wild.  The researchers stated that the malware developers took special care with the technical aspects of their creation and implemented several unique and effective anti-analysis techniques.  In addition, they devised mechanisms for the disguised resolution of the command-and-control servers behind the operations.  The security researchers warned that the techniques used by FakeCalls could be reused in other applications targeting other markets around the world.

Infosecurity reports: "FakeCalls Android Malware Targets Financial Firms in South Korea"