Cybercriminals do not hesitate to create new and more lethal ways of stealing personal information. Recently, Kaspersky Lab has discovered the Skygofree Trojan, a new virus, that is capable of stealing WhatsApp messages and even taking pictures when we unlocked the phone, among other things.
Skygofree has various functions such as “monitoring the location of a device, installing itself and recording an audio when the owner is in a certain position,” said the company. In short, this means that criminals can access the motives and listen to what their prey say. Skygofree can also control instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Skype, and more by collecting the messages you send and receive in these apps.
But that’s not all. This malware is a spy artist. It is able to operate the mobile phone in standby mode (i.e. it does not stop even if the screen is turned off) and connect it to a Wi-Fi network (even if you have mobile networks turned off) controlled by the criminal remotely, knowing exactly which sites you have visited, what usernames, passwords and account numbers you have entered. And as icing on the cake, Skygofree can intercept calls and SMS.
How to prevent the Trojan from entering your mobile phone?
Kaspersky believes that the virus was created in Italy, since reported infections come from that country. This does not mean that only those who live there can fall into the trap, since the way of spreading these malwares is very effective. It is spreading through websites that mimic mobile operator pages. All it takes is for the user to download the malicious application in an absent-minded way, believing that they are services of the mobile operator.
The easiest way to avoid this and other infections on our mobile phones is to act suspiciously. If something seems to be very good, it really isn’t. Remember to install applications from official sites and authorized stores such as Google Play, avoiding apps from third-party sources. Also, don’t enter unknown websites and much less open suspicious links to promotions or prizes, such as receiving one year of Netflix or Spotify for a small amount.
Skygofree is considered to the most sophisticated and advanced spyware for android.
