1.888.900.DRIZ (3749)
The Driz Group
  • Managed Services
    • Web Application Security >
      • Schedule WAF Demo
    • Virtual CISO
    • Compliance >
      • SOC1 & SOC2
      • GDPR
    • Third-Party Risk Management
    • Vulnerability Assessment >
      • Free Vulnerability Assessment
  • About us
    • Testimonials
    • Meet The Team
    • Resources
    • In the news
    • Careers
    • Subsidiaries
  • Contact
    • Newsletter
  • How WAF Works
  • Blog
  • Managed Services
    • Web Application Security >
      • Schedule WAF Demo
    • Virtual CISO
    • Compliance >
      • SOC1 & SOC2
      • GDPR
    • Third-Party Risk Management
    • Vulnerability Assessment >
      • Free Vulnerability Assessment
  • About us
    • Testimonials
    • Meet The Team
    • Resources
    • In the news
    • Careers
    • Subsidiaries
  • Contact
    • Newsletter
  • How WAF Works
  • Blog

Cybersecurity Blog

Thought leadership. Threat analysis. Cybersecurity news and alerts.

11/8/2017

0 Comments

New Marcher Malware Victimized Android Users in a 3-in-1 Scheme

 
marcher malware

​New Marcher Malware Victimized Android Users in a 3-in-1 Scheme 

​Attackers today are taking their time to get what they want. Researchers at Proofpoint revealed that threat actors or actor since the early part of this year has been siphoning bank details of victims in a prolong attack dubbed by some as “triple threat”.
 
According to Proofpoint, the threat actor since January of this year has been targeting customers of Bank Austria, Raiffeisen Meine Bank and Sparkasse Bank by employing three hacking tactics. The description below shows how personal and bank details of nearly 20,000 bank customers in Austria were stolen by the threat actor using these three hacking tactics: malicious emails, malicious websites and malicious software.
 
Step 1: Malicious Email
The threat actor’s point of entry in attacking the victim is through a malicious email. When this email is opened by the victim using an Android phone, the victim is exposed to a malicious link. The email link is a bit.ly shortened link, aimed at evading detection.
 
Step 2: Malicious Site
Once the malicious link is clicked, the victim is redirected to a phishing site – a fake site that copies the layout and content of a landing page of a bank – that asks for an account number and PIN. The image below is an example of the phishing site that copies branding from Bank Austria.
malicious website
Image by Proofpoint
​The URL addresses of the phishing sites have "bankaustria" words on it, fooling victims into thinking that they're inside the real Bank of Austria website. Here are some of the malicious URL addresses:
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id8817062[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id8817461[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id8817465[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id8817466[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id8817469[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id58712[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id58717[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id58729[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id58729[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id87721[.]top/
hxxp://online.bankaustria.at.id87726[.]top/
 
Once the victim enters his or her banking account information on the fake landing page, he or she is then directed to a page that asks email address and phone number. Below is a sample of the page that asks for the email address and phone number.
fake data collector
Image by Proofpoint
​Step 3: Marcher Malware Infection
Once the attacker siphoned the banking and personal information of the victim, the victim is then asked to download a fake mobile app of a targeted bank. The message below is shown to the victim.
marcher malware infection
Image by Proofpoint
​Proofpoint provides the following translation for the message above.
 
***Start of Translation***
Dear Customer,
The system has detected that the Bank Austria Security App is not installed on your smartphone. Due to new EU money laundering guidelines, the new Bank Austria security app is mandatory for all customers who have a mobile phone number in our system.
 
Please install the app immediately to avoid blocking your account.
 
Follow the instructions at the bottom of this page.
 
Why you need the Bank Austria Security App:
Due to outdated technology of the mobile network important data such as mTan SMS and online banking connections are transmitted unencrypted.
 
Our security app allows us to transmit this sensitive data encrypted to you, thus increasing the security that you will not suffer any financial loss.
 
Step 1: Download Bank Austria Security App
Download the Bank Austria security app to your Android device. To do this, open the displayed link on your mobile phone by typing in the URL field of your browser or scan the displayed QR code.
***End translation***
 
After this message, the victim is then shown additional instructions in installing the bank's fake mobile app. Below is the screencap of the additional instruction and corresponding translation by Proofpoint.
marcher malware instructions
Image by Proofpoint
​***Start of Translation***
Step 2: Allow installation
Open your device's settings, select Security or Applications (depending on the device), and check Unknown sources.
 
Step 3: Run installation
Start the Bank Austria security app from the notifications or your download folder, tap Install.
 
After successful installation, tap Open and enable the device administrator. Finished!
***End translation***
 
Once the fake app is installed on the victim's Android phone, the bank's icon can be seen on the home screen of the victim's phone. When the app is used for the first time, the victim is asked to provide his or her credit card number and other personally identifiable information, such as date of birth, address, phone number, password, purportedly for authentication.
 
From the malicious email to the malicious sites, fake bank app, the real bank’s branding is copied, causing the victims to throw away their caution. Victims believed that they’ve downloaded the real mobile app of their bank. They instead downloaded the new version of the malicious software (malware) called “Android.Fakebank.B”, also known as Marcher.
 
Marcher malware is an Android-specific malicious software. It was first observed in the wild in October 2013. An older version of Marcher malware came with a call-barring functionality. This functionality was aimed at stopping customers of South Korean and Russian banks from canceling their payment cards that the Marcher malware itself stole. Once installed, this particular version of Marcher malware registers a BroadcastReceiver component that’s triggered every time the victim tries to make an outgoing call. The malware automatically cancels the call once it determines that the victim is calling any of the customer service call centers of the target banks.
 
Another version of the Marcher malware came with a text message spoofing functionality. Once installed into the victim’s Android phone, this specific Marcher malware spoofs a text message from the targeted bank asking the user to verify a fraudulent transaction. This tricks the victim into logging into a fake mobile app of a bank.

​How to Prevent Marcher Malware Attacks

“As on the desktop, mobile users need to be wary of installing applications from outside of legitimate app stores and sources and be on the lookout for bogus banking sites that ask for more information than users would normally provide on legitimate sites,” researchers at Proofpoint said. “Unusual domains, the use of URL shorteners, and solicitations that do not come from verifiable sources are also red flags for potential phishing and malware.
 
Here are some additional tips to further protect your Android phone from Marcher malware:
  • Keep your software up to date
  • Be discerning when granting permissions requested by mobile apps
  • Install a reputable mobile security app
  • Backup your important data
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Steve E. Driz, I.S.P., ITCP

    Picture
    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015

    Categories

    All
    0-Day
    2FA
    Access Control
    Advanced Persistent Threat
    AI
    Artificial Intelligence
    ATP
    Awareness Training
    Botnet
    Bots
    Brute Force Attack
    CASL
    Cloud Security
    Compliance
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Cryptocurrency
    Cyber Attack
    Cyberattack Surface
    Cyber Awareness
    Cyber Espionage
    Cybersecurity
    Cyber Security
    Cyber Security Consulting
    Cyber Security Insurance
    Cyber Security Risk
    Cyber Security Threats
    Cybersecurity Tips
    Data Breach
    Data Governance
    Data Leak
    Data Leak Prevention
    DDoS
    Email Security
    Fraud
    GDPR
    Hacking
    Impersonation Scams
    IoT
    Malware
    MFA
    Microsoft Office
    Mobile Security
    Network Security Threats
    Phishing Attack
    Privacy
    Ransomware
    Remote Access
    SaaS Security
    Social Engineering
    Supply Chain Attack
    Supply-Chain Attack
    Third-Party Risk
    Virtual CISO
    Vulnerability
    Vulnerability Assessment
    Web Applcation Security
    Web-applcation-security
    Web Application Firewall
    Web Application Protection
    Web Application Security
    Web Protection
    Windows Security
    Zero Trust

    RSS Feed

Picture

1.888.900.DRIZ (3749)

Managed Services

Picture
Web Application Security
​Virtual CISO
Compliance
​Vulnerability Assessment
Free Vulnerability Assessment
Privacy Policy | CASL

About us

Picture
Testimonials
​Meet the Team
​Subsidiaries
​Contact us
​Blog
​
Jobs

Resources & Tools

Picture
​Incident Management Playbook
Sophos authorized partner logo
Picture
© 2023 Driz Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Photo used under Creative Commons from GotCredit