An Android app comes with password-stealing malware, which now has victimized more than 100,000 Google Play Store users into downloading the malicious software.
In this photo illustration, an image of the Google logo is reflected on the eye of a young man on August 09, 2017 in London, England. Founded in 1995 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google now makes hundreds of products used by billions of people across the globe, from YouTube and Android to Smartbox and Google Search.
Malicious App on Google Play Store
The popular app on Google Play Store, the official app marketplace of Android, "Craftsart Cartoon Photo Tools" comes with a trojan malware, known as the Facestealer, as per a news story by Threat Post.
The Facestealer Android malware steals the login credentials, specifically passwords, of its victims once the trojan makes it to the devices of its targets.
The app, which pretends to be a photo editing tool, allowing its users to turn their images into a painting or cartoon-like animation, has already garnered a whopping 100,000 downloads from the Play Store.
It has hooked a massive number of users as it provides them with tons of cartoon filters to choose from, allowing them to post a cartoonish version of their photos on their social media platforms.
Android App with Password-Stealing Malware
But as it turns out, what was supposed to be a mere harmless photo editing app from the Play Store comes with malware that steals passwords.
Threat Post said in the same report that the cybersecurity researchers from Pradeo have found a malicious code hiding beneath the photo editing tool.
The Android logo is displayed at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on February 26, 2019. - Phone makers will focus on foldable screens and the introduction of blazing fast 5G wireless networks at the world's biggest mobile fair as they try to reverse a decline in sales of smartphones.
The cybersecurity researchers said that there is a "small piece of malicious code that easily slips under the radar of the store's safeguards," which essentially allows the threat actors to list the malware spreading app on the Play Store.
It comes even as the malicious photo editing app comes with an Android threat aptly called Facestealer, which has repeatedly slipped to the Play Store in the past through seemingly harmless apps.
Read Also: VPN App Downloads on Google Play Store, Apple App Store Climbs in Russia
Password-Stealing App: How it Works
Meanwhile, according to a recent analysis of the cybersecurity firm, Malwarebytes, the malicious app requires its users to log in to their Facebook accounts before they could start editing their photos into cartoon animations.
In this photo illustration, A thumbprint is displayed on a mobile phone while the Google logo is displayed on a computer monitor on August 09, 2017 in London, England. Founded in 1995 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google now makes hundreds of products used by billions of people across the globe, from YouTube and Android to Smartbox and Google Search.
After the user of the malicious photo editing tool has logged in on their Facebook account, Malwarebytes says that a JavaScript code goes on to steal the login credentials, which includes the password and email.
Then, the malware leads the threat actors to access the account of their victims, allowing the trojan to steal various information and personal data from the Facebook accounts of their targets.
Some of the included information that the trojans steal are IP addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, message conversions, payment details, among other sensitive data.
It is worth noting that the cartoon photo editing app is now inaccessible on Google Play Store, but it might still be available elsewhere.
Related Article: Google Play System Update Includes Faster Wait Time for Downloading Apps and Better App Discovery
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Teejay Boris
