Virus Takes Over Third-Party Android Store, Serves Malware for First Download

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ESET security researchers have discovered a new Android malware that’s spreading with the help of a third-party store and compromising the device for each first download that users begin.

Turkish third-party APK store CepKutusu has recently been discovered to be offering malicious downloads, with devices ending up infected with a banking malware that intercepts and sends SMS messages and provides attackers with the capability of installing other apps.

The “Download now” button that is displayed for each APK listed in the third-party store leads users to a malware download instead of the desired app, but it turns out that hackers have implemented a behavior that makes the button link to malware only the first time a user taps it.

For the next 7 days after getting the malware, a device is no longer served the infection, being provided instead with clean links. This is most likely a method that virus authors developed to remain under the radar longer.

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