FaceStealer for Android Hijacks Facebook Profiles
Android users are threatened by all sorts of mobile malware that may try to steal their data, ramp up their phone bill, or hack into their user accounts. Today's topic is FaceStealer, a new piece of Android malware, which appears to operate as an information stealer. However, the FaceStealer appears to be somewhat limited in terms of functionality – it only goes after the user's Facebook profile. This might not sound like much, but it could be part of the plan of the criminals. By compromising Facebook accounts, they get to reach a wider audience and propagate scams or malware to them – and the victims will think that a trustworthy contact is sending them.
The FaceStealer malware is being spread just like other Android threats – via fake APK Files and Android apps. These may sometimes be hosted on 3rd-party app stores, but they are usually found on forums and random websites. They might often pose as cracked versions of Android paid apps – you should never pirate software on Android, Windows, or Linux. Doing this is an easy way to encounter dangerous malware like the FaceStealer.
Spotting FaceStealer on your device is not easy, so it is best to automate your defenses. Use an up-to-date security app at all times to ensure that none malicious apps will be installed on your Android phone or tablet.