Shielding Against Android Phishing in Indian Banking

Malware News
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Authored by Neil Tyagi and Fernando Ruiz

In a digitally evolving world, the convenience of banking through mobile applications has revolutionized financial transactions. However, this advancement has also opened doors to a lesser-known adversary: Android phishing. Join us as we delve into the clandestine realm of cyber threats targeting India’s banking sector.

This blog uncovers the nuances of an Android phishing/banking trojan application identified as Android/Banker.AFX illustrates a common procedure from cybercriminals designed to drain the bank accounts of their victims:

First broadcasting phishing messages via WhatsApp and luring users to install an app that carries malicious code hidden as a verification tool. Once installed, the banking trojan can collect personal and financial information plus intercept SMS messages with the objective of stealing one-time passwords or verification codes that are required to complete transactions which may lead to stealing the banking account assets.

This trojan is just a variant and example of multiple banking trojans implementations recently observed in the wild that carry similar risks, which is not technically sophisticated but might be very effective and prevalent especially when it’s widely distributed on social media. McAfee Mobile Security protects broadly and generically against this type of banking trojans.

This blog explores the insidious tactics, alarming trends, and preventive measures against the rising tide of phishing attacks plaguing Android users in India’s financial landscape.

Distribution Method: Messaging platforms

  • The initial lure is an alarming WhatsApp message prompting the user to download an Android Package (APK) to complete a mandatory verification procedure carried out by financial institutions known as Know Your Customer (KYC) else the account would be blocked.

A sense of urgency is created for the user by warning him that the account would be blocked if he doesn’t install the APK and provide the necessary information to complete the KYC form.

These seemingly innocent prompts, meticulously crafted by cybercriminals, possess a cunning sophistication that mirrors the legitimate communication channels of banking institutions. They prey upon human curiosity, fear, and desire, tricking users into taking immediate actions that, at first glance, seem innocuous but have far-reaching consequences.

Installation and execution

Since the app installer is triggered by Whatsapp, the installation by default should be blocked by Android unless the user previously allowed the installation of unknown apps from this source.

A warning is displayed after taping on the APK icon:

However, if users ignore the warning, they may deactivate this important security feature with just two clicks:

Now Android OS is warning about the risk of allowing the installation of unknown apps from WhatsApp. However, many users allow this option, which poses a high risk of infection.

Once the Trojan is installed, the victims will get the financial institution icon on their Android app list:

After installation, it abuses the icon of SBI to confuse the user.

Opening for the first time, it asks for SMS-related permissions.

The application’s landing page is similar to the net banking page of Real SBI.
This phishing site is locally loaded from the malware into a WebView.

The application asks for the user’s username, password, and phone number.

The Captcha used here is static. It does not change ever because all content is hardcoded locally.

As part of the KYC validation lure process, the malware collects sensitive user information such as:

  • Full Name, Date of Birth
  • Account, CIF, PAN, and Aadhar Numbers
  • Credit card information

After the victim inputs all the information, they are presented with a fake KYC validation code, which makes it look like a genuine procedure the user might not be suspicious about the app or the process.

Additionally, this banking trojan intercepts SMS messages and abuses Firebase to communicate with attackers. During the analysis the malware transmitted all collected information including credit card information to:

wss[:]//s-usc1a-nss-2003.firebaseio.com/.ws?v=5&ns=zero-a4c52-default-rtdb

According to the static analysis, any received SMS message would also be exfiltrated to the attackers’ servers via the opened socket communication since the app has granted SMS reading permissions at the first execution. This is implemented to extract any OTP required to complete transactions of the victim.

 

Exfiltrated credit card information from the local static site loaded by the malware abuses the  Cordova framework. Credit card information, along with all collected information, is transmitted to the attackers using Firebase, a legitimate service that’s also abused by criminals.

 

Static Analysis

 

  • This malware requires common permissions however it’s important to highlight that RECEIVE_SMS is a very dangerous permissions that should only be granted to apps that are related to messaging that you trust. If apps installed from third-party sources require it, it’s a red flag:
    • INTERNET
    • REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES
    • RECEIVE_SMS
    • ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE

 

  • Information collected by the phishing site:
    • username
    • password
    • phone number
    • date of birth
    • account number
    • CIF number
    • pan number
    • debit card number
    • CVV number
    • atm pin
  • The main package goes by the name of hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best, which contains the MainActivity for APK: The First oncreate function prompts for SMS read permission from the user, and when the user gives the permission, the user is greeted with the message “thank you -Team SBI” else “We can’t verify until you allow -Team Bank”

  • The read message permission is required to monitor any incoming messages, preferably OTPs, so those can be forwarded to the attacker to gain access to the account, bypassing any OTP-based 2-factor authentications.
  • All incoming messages are saved to the database and later forwarded to the attacker.
  • The Firebase configuration is stored in the APK along with the API key.
  • Debit/credit card information is being submitted using Firebase.
  • The user’s Aadhar number, CIF (customer information file), and user information are collected and submitted to Firebase.

Telemetry And Safety by Mcafee

  • McAfee Mobile Security proactively protects against this threat as Android/Banker.AXF!ML.
  • McAfee has prevented over 360 device infections of Android/Banker.AXF!ML in the last 30 days. India underscores the acute threat posed by this banking malware within the country’s digital landscape, with few hits found elsewhere in the world, possibly from Indian SBI users Living in Other Countries.

Android/Banker.AXF!ML infections around the world: India is the target.

  • The proactive stance taken by McAfee against Android/Banker.AXF!ML underscores its commitment to shielding users from the ever-evolving landscape of Android-based phishing and banking threats, emphasizing the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in safeguarding the integrity of personal financial data.

Conclusion

Banking trojans are not new or sophisticated but they are a persistent threat due to the lucrative business that poses for malware authors which can lure many victims that are unaware of the risk of phishing. As these campaigns can be massive even if a small percentage of targeted victims fall the criminals can have a large loot.

Cybercriminals are constantly improving their social engineering tricks to lure users into phishing and malware. The first line of defense against these threats is the user’s awareness. Some generic advises are:

  • Avoid installing apps from third party sources, especially apps received by messaging apps.
    • Do not activate “install unknown apps” option on social media apps.
  • Do not trust or click on messages received from untrusted sources in social media.
  • For banking apps stick into the official website and officials’ apps stores
  • If possible, use a reliable antivirus solution such as McAfee Mobile Security which generically protects against these types of threats.

McAfee Antivirus emerges as a formidable ally in the battle against Android phishing within India’s banking sector. With its robust suite of security features tailored for mobile devices, McAfee stands as a bulwark, providing critical defense mechanisms against the ever-mutating landscape of cyber threats.

Indicators Of compromise.

Hash Package
f935be94245c4c3b35bf8485a6a1a2ed62402b93e8c0f073ce0fd4b2e637c074 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
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e2e097ef433be75dcab830baa4b08feb4a24267c46b568fd4aef00dbb081ed8f hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
de8212491595566c4bec537bfc17288abc70b0e5cc01e68eb91dce4b2e9ff6c3 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
c90e178e23dfbaa2d45c67b258b7e3ec82e3bc95514d60418838e4b08c46209a hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
c5f4e1b59f59e4d8acd4154f7f4173a203a1a94282c58567fc795d19e241c21f hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
c5ef5d3cbe09e2f2b1557c1d1d08f7a50a4585d92c11ce7b14a10ac3e0982b51 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
c4a7b590fa45fd384e3d2c86726d4d3fecb93f9ed3bc5a33a13663b8bceab66e hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
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858a658159baed6fce73b615f3677066556dd5f4dc0af2f86183e6be9203934a hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
821ccb45a9333ac05b9b79c0942635bd2bf1e47d0fe137a6c74c8aa1c159a48a hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
80c8eafe47e85c4c3eadea9d123b5cafebd3822837022917b33d793c7f083c3d hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
7cfc6360e69d22b09a28c940caf628959d11176e27b8a03e15b020b369569415 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
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6c6ea9fbeae967fb53ab9984edda9b754fb6d3f85b4ff5b14e1fd33399362ba4 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
6ba601dfb071fe68863ca999270a8cbf5ab7dc8b819274ae31ac11779cfd8445 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
68a988a247e1ae809b7faf11f8ba5ef2cb89ea6832b4cd18d1f65123add2b7a5 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
6190144b56e06af8aeeeba2104a665a555d01f6ec2a22ba78212d943ac2b258d hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
600c4cb468e85d473ee7af4d5a29eca5008a6d1f53067af4713076c57910aa2c hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
5f35da1f323cffa2ec2f36fb36c7b5e52acbf43c4c3edfcabac69bd6e9f8fbde hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
51db2d4cd892dd65e1102e5404e13f2198e84db2c7866a1de3eab7ca7073bcd2 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
495ab4efd3d1ec9bfc2d08d80df316aad20dc76e625374627fabea06f5151584 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
465f1676ae1372893b94ea315dd19e1fbc8e3dd580259ce71cb9210ceecd4022 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
353ae8fcebdf53b0dcf57207f0e36df7d7e899eb8d3b746ecbf59292596de09a hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
34de7804d4eded54cf6b7fa42a645f820d4e9cbd1b103976695a78c29732f70b hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
343066c5d163db194787bad87249374976300f53b071b04d80556b59f5dbdaa0 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
3216973f94d8d99fe68649341f157ab21932e84d46210a168be44725cea73dd2 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
1c69b0a69ed1631a1f1b54627a9b5dac3b214a275280de36d05ee75021cbfb04 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
1b6ef08979021e9d95e4f63c70330b06b1dcaedfa0ccd31ae1164a5b9d99c664 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
13f9bd27e83a23c0ef91ae92bb2a8de5b10ad1ed18828b2040504ee781096bcc hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
0f87970fc071178bad98d38ec084ee15294ffdbfb2617ea401a59455f02edb60 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best
0370c86b1ac48bab7842533d63a61f9a49e77775c81c6841aa3b62e975ea83f1 hello.uwer.hello.hello.google.is.the.best

 

Abused Firebase host : Wss[:]//s-usc1a-nss-2003.firebaseio.com/.ws?v=5&ns=zero-a4c52-default-rtdb

 

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