NCC alerts on new malware that attacks smartphones

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has alerted Nigerians to a new Android malware that can gain access to smartphones.

Named ‘AbstractEmu’, the malware can gain access to smartphones, take complete control of infected smartphones and silently modify device settings while simultaneously taking steps to evade detection, the NCC said in a statement on Tuesday.  

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“This discovery was announced recently by the Nigerian Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), the national agency established by the Federal Government to manage the risks of cyber threats in Nigeria, which also coordinates incident response and mitigation strategies to proactively prevent cyber-attacks against Nigeria’’, the statement signed by NCC’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Adinde said.

It said AbstractEmu has been found to be distributed via Google Play Store and third-party stores such as the Amazon Appstore and the Samsung Galaxy Store, as well as other lesser-known marketplaces like Aptoide and APKPure.

NCC said: “The advisory stated that a total of 19 Android applications that posed as utility apps and system tools like password managers, money managers, app launchers, and data saving apps have been reported to contain the rooting functionality of the malware.” 

To guard against contracting the malware, NCC said smartphone users should be wary of installing unknown or unusual apps, and look out for different behaviours as they use their phones.

The commission also said users should reset their phones to factory settings when there is suspicion of unusual behaviours in their phones.