A new notorious botnet malware was identified by security researchers, claiming that it puts millions of devices at risk of infection. Is your gadget one of them?
BERLIN, GERMANY - DECEMBER 27: A particpant checks a circuit board next to an oscilloscope on the first day of the 28th Chaos Communication Congress (28C3) - Behind Enemy Lines computer hacker conference on December 27, 2011 in Berlin, Germany. The Chaos Computer Club is Europe's biggest network of computer hackers and its annual congress draws up to 3,000 participants.
The new malware targets millions of Android gadgets including smartphones, TVs, set-top boxes, tablets, and more. This new malicious botnet malware was said to focus on drafting the targeted devices into a giant botnet.
According to Toms Guide, Qihoo 360 Netlab's security experts were the first ones to discover it. They called it Matryosh Malware since it has many layered functions, which is comparable with Russia's popular matryoshka nesting dolls.
How Matryosh botnet malware works
This new malicious system was said to use the Android Debug Bridge or ADB interface to breach a user's Android device security features.
YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA - JULY 24: Deni (L), plays Pokemon Go game on his smartphone on July 24, 2016 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. "Pokemon Go," which uses Google Maps and a smartphone has been a smash-hit in countries where it is available and already popular in Indonesia even though it has not been officially released. Indonesians have been downloading the game by using a proxy location which gives them access to app stores of other countries as security officials have voiced worries that the game could pose a security threat.
The first thing you need to do is to check if your device is overheating or its system is becoming slower than usual. If you noticed these changes, then there's a high chance that the new botnet malware has already breached your device's system.
However, security experts said that these changes are still hard to identify. Since this is the case, researchers suggest that users must install the best Android antivirus apps on their smartphones and other gadgets.
If you are wondering why this new malware is dangerous, experts said that it is a variation on the Mirai botnet, which already infected thousands of Linux-based routers and other smart-home devices previously in October 2016. The recent attack was considered a massive DDoS attack that knocked out internet service on the East Coast of the United States.
Since the latest Matryosh botnet malware is an improved version, there's a high chance that it could conduct a bigger online attack.
Can security experts prevent it?
Yes, malicious actors are improving, but security researchers are also enhancing their defenses. Good News Network previously reported that the most dangerous malware called Emotet was taken down, thanks to an international cybercrime effort.
"The Emotet malware has evolved substantially since it was first observed by industry," said FBI's cyber team supervisor Jessica Nye via Good News Network.
"It became increasingly stealthy in its ability to gain access to your computer, which then opened the door to additional malware," she added.
For more news updates about new botnet malware and other malicious systems, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.
