A new Android ransomware called ‘LeakerLocker’ is found threatening to publish private information of victims unless they pay a ransom of 50$. The malware affects Android phones through downloaded apps from the Google Play store.
McAfee, the security technology company, discovered the latest attack called LeakerLocker. McAfee identified two apps in the Google Play store named “Wallpapers Blur HD” and “Booster & Cleaner Pro” that carry this threat.
How The LeakerLocker Ransomware Was Spread
The first app “Wallpapers Blur HD” has been downloaded between 5,000 and 10,000 times. As per a user review, the wallpaper app requests irrelevant permissions such as calls, SMS, and access to contacts, etc. The second malicious app “Booster & Cleaner Pro” has also been downloaded between 1,000 and 5,000 times.
Also, both the apps seemed to be a part of a rewards program that gave users small amounts of money to install the app on their device. Such types of schemes are becoming popular to trick users into installing malware on their devices.
Unlike most ransomware, LeakerLocker doesn’t lock up or encrypt your files and hard drive, but claims to have your private data and browsing history and threatens to share it with anyone on your contact list if you don’t pay the ransom.
According to McAfee, the malware can read only victim’s email address, random contacts, Chrome history, some text messages and calls, some pictures, and read some device information. It locks the home screen and accesses private information in the background.
So far, security experts haven’t yet found out the code that is responsible for transferring the information to a remote server or how they will be sending personal data to the user’s contacts.
McAfee has alerted Google about the threat and according to them, Google is currently investigating it. Google, for now, has removed both the apps from Play Store.
