The FlyTrap Malware is coming after Android users' Facebook accounts, stealing personal information. It harms the victims' Facebook friends as well, spreading the malware even more.
Find out how to avoid the FlyTrap malware and how to remove it if you've been attacked.
What Is FlyTrap Malware?
FlyTrap is a new Trojan malware spreading across 144 countries. In the report published by Zimperium, it has affected 10,000 users so far.
First luring victims to download the malicious applications, it sends out "incentives" through fake ads like free Netflix codes, coupons and tickets. It then asks users to log in to their Facebook accounts.
Life Hacker warnedthat even though the ads are fake, they scoop up the person's Facebook information using Javascript injection, which makes the whole ordeal look legitimate with its links and apps.
Once given access to the social media account, it steals the victim's data like their location data, IP addresses, email addresses, Facebook IDs, cookies, login tokens, and whatever else they can get their hands on.
It will then pose as the victim and send phishing links to the victim's contacts through direct messages and posts. The links can even hide other, more dangerous, malware.
The Zimperium zLabs team discovered an Android Trojan that has spread to 144 countries. Codenamed FlyTrap, this malware hides behind applications to steal social credentials from its thousands of victims and spread misinformation. #WeSecureMobile #FlyTraphttps://t.co/h69wwatoFH pic.twitter.com/N3CgXElY7v
— Zimperium (@Zimperium) August 9, 2021
Read Also : Don't Click on Suspicious Facebook Links! New Android FlyTrap Malware Steals Your Data, Spreads Malware
5 Ways to Avoid the FlyTrap Malware and Protect Your Facebook Account and Data
Though Google has removed the malicious applications from their Play Store, and those apps are no longer active on any devices they are installed in, the malware can still spread through third-party websites, Life Hacker warned.
Here are some ways you can protect yourself from the Flytrap malware.
5. Do not download unknown apps, even from the Google Play Store. Thoroughly vet the apps you do install by checking the app developer and the reviews, even outside of the Play Store itself.
4. In the same vein, before installing any new apps, use anti-malware and anti-virus apps to scan them for known threats. This could help infected users find and remove malware, too.
3. Read before you agree to anything, and do not grant apps unnecessary permissions.
2. Do not click on any unknown or suspicious links. Be wary and skeptical of "too good to be true" offers, even if they don't contain any viruses or malware, these can still be dangerous scams.
1. Only log into Facebook and other social media through the official app and website. Never do it on any third-party apps, ads or emailed and messaged links. Never give your account information to anyone, even those posing to be Facebook.
FlyTrap malware masquerades as a coupon code to steal Facebook data - Cheraw Chronicle https://t.co/lDjN8jK2SR pic.twitter.com/M0zqRwCysT
— EdiAcoo (@AcooEdi) August 14, 2021
How to Remove the FlyTrap Malware From Your Android Smartphone
Victims of the FlyTrap malware can have not only their private data compromised, but those of their frinds and loved ones.
Enigma Software offers a free download of their malware remover called SpyHunter, available for Windows and Mac. Once successfully installed, SpyHunter walks you through the process of scanning your devices for malware.
After performing the scan and removing the FlyTrap malware, go ahead and change your account password, and the passwords of other accounts linked to the emails found in your Facebook. Inform your Facebook friends of the malware and warn them to not open any links the malware sent posing as you.
