Trend Micro has made an official announcement last week which said that the research carried out by its security analysts have discovered 800 apps on Google Play store embedded with Xavier malware. And as per the analysts, the malware has the potential to steal info on the phone and pass it on to remote servers of hackers.
Trend Micro’s Mobile App Reputation Service has also confirmed that the apps which have embedded Xavier malware have been downloaded by million of users around the world. Wallpapers, Ringtone Changers, Photo Manipulators, are some of the apps found to be having Xavier malware embedded in them.
Trend Micro says that Xavier is a multi-faced malware tool which comes with some notable features that differentiate it from other malware. First, the malware comes with a strange behavior of downloading codes from remote servers, then loads and executes it. Then with the help of its self- protection trait using methods such as “Emulator detection, Internet data encryption and String Encryption” the malware has the ability to go up to great lengths to keep itself concealed from present day anti-malware solutions.
Analysts from Trend Micro say that the only way to protect the mobile devices from getting infected with Xavier malware is to use multi-layered mobile security solutions like Trend Micro Security available on Google Play store. The said solution eases application management, provides data protection and protects the device from all kind of attacks those leverage vulnerabilities.
Cybersecurity Insiders recommends Android phone users not to download any kind of apps or files from unknown resources in order to prevent their phones from being infected with malware such as Xavier.
