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New Trojan ‘Flytrap’ claims 10,000 victims

Paul Lipscombe
August 17, 2021

The Android malware has been found in over 140 countries

A new Android Trojan identified by cybersecurity firm Zimperium has spread to more than 10,000 victims in over 140 countries, with these numbers expected to grow.

The malware, which Zimperium has named FlyTrap, has affected users through social media hijacking, third-party app stores and side-loaded applications.

Facebook accounts in particular have been compromised by the virus, with FlyTrap until recently listed on the official Google Play Store, according to Zimperium.

‘Malicious parties’

Evidence suggests these attacks have stemmed from “malicious parties out of Vietnam” since March 2021, said the firm.

“Based on our data, there are almost 100 victims of the FlyTrap malware originating in the UK,” added Zimperium Android malware analyst Aazim Yaswant.

“The number of victims is steadily doubling week over week and will do so until the command and control host takes the attackers offline.”

App disguise

FlyTrap is disguised as a number of mobile apps dedicated to offering users coupon codes for apps such as Netflix.

The malware “tricked users into downloading and trusting the application with high-quality designs and social engineering” said Zimperium.

Information collected from victims’ Android devices includes Facebook IDs, location information, email and IP addresses, and cookies and tokens associated with Facebook accounts, added the firm.

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