Cybercrime: NCC warns of new malware AbstractEmu attacking android devices

Nigerians have been advised to beware of Android malware that has been discovered.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in a statement on Friday informed telecom consumers and the general public “that a new malware, named ‘AbstractEmu’, can gain access to smartphones, take complete control of infected smartphones and silently modify device settings while simultaneously taking steps to evade detection.

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 the Nigeria, which also coordinates incident response and mitigation strategies to proactively prevent cyber-attacks against Nigeria.

The statement, signed by director, public affairs Dr Ikechukwu Adinde added that, 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.

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.

The apps include All Passwords, Anti-ads Browser, Data Saver, Lite Launcher, My Phone, Night Light and Phone Plus, among others.