StrandHogg

Mobile devices have become a very attractive target for cybercriminals, and it is not a surprise to find out that the number of Android-compatible malware continues to increase. Cybercrooks also are experimenting with different Android vulnerabilities, which might allow them to trick their victims into thinking that they are about to install a legitimate program, when, in reality, they would be running a threatening program designed to harvest information from their devices. One of the recently discovered Android vulnerabilities is StrandHogg, and it may enable attackers to craft unsafe applications that are exact copies of legitimate and trustworthy Android applications. Usually, tech-savvy users can spot some of the typical traits of harmful applications, but the usage of the StrandHogg vulnerability may reduce the number of red flags that can be seen during the installation process greatly.

To make matters even worse, the StrandHogg vulnerability has already been used in the wild, and the Google Play Store security team took down several harmful applications that took advantage of this exploit recently. Unfortunately, sticking to downloading Android applications from the Google Play Store is not enough to protect your device safely, since cyber crooks have their methods of getting past Google's security measures.

Because of the possibilities that the StrandHogg provides attackers with, the unsafe applications may ask for all permission kinds that are typical for the legitimate application that the malware impersonates. The users might think that they are launching a legitimate copy of Facebook that asks to access their microphone or contacts, but, in reality, these permissions would be given to the hidden threatening application that poses as Facebook. The possibilities with StrandHogg are endless, and, unfortunately, it is only a matter of time to see how cybercriminals will make use of this exploit.

To make sure that your Android device is safe and sound from applications that exploit the StrandHogg vulnerability, you should invest in a reliable and regularly updated Android security tool.

Use SpyHunter to Detect and Remove PC Threats

If you are concerned that malware or PC threats similar to StrandHogg may have infected your computer, we recommend you start an in-depth system scan with SpyHunter. SpyHunter is an advanced malware protection and remediation application that offers subscribers a comprehensive method for protecting PCs from malware, in addition to providing one-on-one technical support service.

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