A New Android Banking Trojan Masquerades as Utility and Banking Apps in India

Authored by Dexter Shin

Through the years, cyber threats concentrating on Android units have turn out to be extra refined and chronic. Just lately, McAfee Cell Analysis Staff found a brand new Android banking trojan concentrating on Indian customers. This malware disguises itself as important companies, equivalent to utility (e.g., fuel or electrical energy) or banking apps, to get delicate info from customers. These kind of companies are important for day by day life, making it simpler to lure customers. We now have beforehand noticed malware that masquerades as utility companies in Japan. As seen in such instances, utility-related messages, equivalent to warnings that fuel service will disconnect quickly except the invoice is checked, may cause vital alarm and immediate rapid motion from the customers.

We now have recognized that this malware has contaminated 419 units, intercepted 4,918 SMS messages, and stolen 623 entries of card or bank-related private info. Given the energetic malware campaigns, these numbers are anticipated to rise. McAfee Cell Safety already detects this risk as Android/Banker. For extra info, go to McAfee Cell Safety

Phishing by messaging platforms like WhatsApp

As of 2024, India is the nation with the very best variety of month-to-month energetic WhatsApp customers. This makes it a chief goal for phishing assaults. We’ve beforehand launched one other Banker distributed by way of WhatsApp. Equally, we suspect that the pattern we not too long ago discovered additionally makes use of messaging platforms to achieve particular person customers and trick them into putting in a malicious APK. If a consumer installs this APK, it is going to permit attackers to steal the sufferer’s monetary information, thereby undertaking their malicious aim.

Determine 1. Scammer messages reaching customers by way of Whatsapp (supply: reddit)

Contained in the malware

The malware we first recognized was pretending to be an app that allowed customers to pay their fuel payments. It used the emblem of PayRup, a digital cost platform for public service charges in India, to make it look extra reliable to customers.

Determine 2. Malware disguised as fuel payments digital cost app

As soon as the app is launched and the permissions, that are designed to steal private information equivalent to SMS messages, are granted, it asks the consumer for monetary info, equivalent to card particulars or checking account info. Since this malware pretends to be an app for paying payments, customers are prone to enter this info to finish their funds. On the financial institution web page, you may see main Indian banks like SBI and Axis Financial institution listed as choices.

Determine 3. Malware that requires monetary information

If the consumer inputs their monetary info and tries to make a cost, the information is distributed to the command and management (C2) server. In the meantime, the app shows a cost failure message to the consumer.

Determine 4. Cost failure message displayed however information despatched to C2 server

One factor to notice about this app is that it may possibly’t be launched instantly by the consumer by the launcher. For an Android app to seem within the launcher, it must have “android.intent.class.LAUNCHER” outlined inside an <intent-filter> within the AndroidManifest.xml. Nonetheless, since this app doesn’t have that attribute, its icon doesn’t seem. Consequently, after being put in and launched from a phishing message, customers might not instantly notice the app remains to be put in on their gadget, even when they shut it after seeing messages like “Financial institution Server is Down”, successfully preserving it hidden.

Determine 5. AndroidManifest.xml for the pattern

Exploiting Supabase for information exfiltration

In earlier stories, we’ve launched varied C2 servers utilized by malware. Nonetheless, this malware stands out as a result of its distinctive use of Supabase, an open-source database service. Supabase is an open-source backend-as-a-service, just like Firebase, that gives PostgreSQL-based database, authentication, real-time options, and storage. It helps builders shortly construct functions with out managing backend infrastructure. Additionally, it helps RESTful APIs to handle their database. This malware exploits these APIs to retailer stolen information.

Determine 6. App code utilizing Supabase

A JWT (JSON Net Token) is required to make the most of Supabase by its RESTful APIs. Curiously, the JWT token is uncovered in plain textual content throughout the malware’s code. This offered us with a singular alternative to additional examine the extent of the information breach. By leveraging this token, we have been capable of entry the Supabase occasion utilized by the malware and acquire helpful insights into the dimensions and nature of the information exfiltration.

Determine 7. JWT token uncovered in plaintext

Throughout our investigation, we found a complete of 5,558 data saved within the database. The primary of those data was dated October 9, 2024. As beforehand talked about, these data embody 4,918 SMS messages and 623 entries of card info (quantity, expiration date, CVV) and financial institution info (account numbers, login credentials like ID and password).

Determine 8. Examples of stolen information

Uncovering variants by package deal prefix

The preliminary pattern we discovered had the package deal title “gs_5.buyer”. By way of investigation of their database, we recognized 8 distinctive package deal prefixes. These prefixes present important clues in regards to the potential rip-off themes related to every package deal. By inspecting the package deal names, we will infer particular traits and sure focus areas of the assorted rip-off operations.

Primarily based on the package deal names, evidently as soon as a rip-off theme is chosen, not less than 2 completely different variants are developed inside that theme. This variability not solely complicates detection efforts but in addition will increase the potential attain and influence of their rip-off campaigns.

Cell app administration of C2

Primarily based on the knowledge uncovered to date, we discovered that the malware actor has developed and is actively utilizing an app to handle the C2 infrastructure instantly from a tool. This app can ship instructions to ahead SMS messages from the sufferer’s energetic telephones to specified numbers. This functionality differentiates it from earlier malware, which generally manages C2 servers by way of net interfaces. The app shops varied configuration settings by Firebase. Notably, it makes use of Firebase “Realtime Database” somewhat than Firestore, possible as a result of its simplicity for primary information retrieval and storage.

Determine 9. C2 administration cellular software

Conclusion

Primarily based on our analysis, we now have confirmed that 419 distinctive units have already been contaminated. Nonetheless, contemplating the continuous growth and distribution of latest variants, we anticipate that this quantity will steadily improve. This pattern underscores the persistent and evolving nature of this risk, emphasizing the necessity for cautious remark and versatile safety methods.

As talked about at first of the report, many scams originate from messaging platforms like WhatsApp. Subsequently, it’s essential to stay cautious when receiving messages from unknown or unsure sources. Moreover, given the clear emergence of assorted variants, we suggest utilizing safety software program that may shortly reply to new threats. Moreover, by using McAfee Cell Safety, you may bolster your protection in opposition to such refined threats.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

APKs:

Domains:

• https[://]luyagyrvyytczgjxwhuv.supabase.co

Firebase:

• https[://]call-forwarder-1-default-rtdb.firebaseio.com

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