A new spyware campaign is mimicking popular apps like TikTok, YouTube and WhatsApp in order to try and lure users into visiting phishing sites and downloading the ClayRat spyware.
As reported by The Hacker News, this campaign is also using Telegram channels in order to spread the spyware while the malicious sites are using artificially inflated download counts and manufactured testimonials in order to manufacture legitimacy.
How to avoid spyware and malicious websites
Android users with Google Play Protect are safeguarded against known versions of this malware, as their devices come with this handy security tool pre-installed via Google Play Services. However, it never hurts to remember best practices when it comes to your online safety: Try to stick to known app manufacturers and websites, check the URLs of websites before visiting them and try not to click on sponsored links or ads as they can be used by hackers in their attacks.
Additionally, make sure all your devices are protected online with one of the best antivirus software solutions. While your phone like comes with Google Play Protect pre-installed, for additional security, you may want to consider running one of the best Android antivirus apps alongside it. At the same time, you want to make full use of extras included with your antivirus app or software like a VPN or a hardened browser and heed any alerts you see regarding potentially suspicious websites. Many of antivirus suites will also feature dark web alerts, identity monitoring, and more. All of these features can help protect you online and alert you immediately when something goes wrong.
As for ClayRat , given how many iterations of the spyware that have been detected so far, it's likely the cybercriminals behind it are working on new updates and adding extra malicious capabilities to it. For this reason, I don't see this spyware going away anytime soon and it's more likely that it will be used in attacks on Android users in other countries, so you'll want to keep your guard up to stay safe.
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