Wi-Fi routers are being hit by a dangerous new Android malware with extra DNS hacks

A new Android app has been found tricking unsuspecting users (even those with clean devices) into visiting malicious versions of popular websites, where they might end up giving away their login credentials, or even worse – money.

The findings come courtesy of Kaspersky, which found a malicious Android app carrying the Wroba.o/Agent.eq (a.k.a Moqhao, XLoader) malware was being distributed.

When the app is downloaded, it will try to connect to the Wi-Fi router the mobile device is connected to. To do that, it will try the most usual username/password combinations, as well as those known to come with factory settings (such as admin/admin). Should it succeed, it will change the DNS server to a malicious one the threat actor has control over.

Roaming Mantis

That allows the malware’s operators to redirect all users connected to that specific Wi-Fi network, including those without the malware, to malicious versions of popular websites.

For example, if a compromised endpoint connects to a public Wi-Fi in a busy cafe, and ends up changing the DNS server settings in the router, everyone else in that cafe that tries to connect to Facebook will actually be redirected to a fake Facebook page. There, they’ll be asked to provide their login information and if they do, they’ll end up giving away their login credentials to the crooks.

The researchers did not name the apps being distributed, but did say that the APKs were downloaded at least 46,000 times across Japan, Austria, France, Germany, South Korea, Turkey, Malaysia, and India. With more than 24,000 downloads, Japan is by far the most affected country.

The group behind the apps is allegedly Roaming Mantis. To protect against this type of attack, the best course of action would be to avoid connecting to important accounts on public Wi-Fi networks.

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Via: ArsTechnica (opens in new tab)

Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.