There is a fake Android app you MUST avoid downloading

A piece of software that was once extremely important to internet users has returned, but with a nefarious purpose: hacking your device. If that rings an alarm bell in your head, know that it's a new malware campaign and this time it's taking advantage of the popularity of Adobe's Flash Player, which the company discontinued in 2020.

Hackers are now targeting Android users through a malware campaign that involves downloading the Flash Player. A new “FluBot” distribution scheme tricks users into downloading a fake Flash Player application infected with a dangerous banking trojan, according to PhoneArena.

It has been found that the link urging users to download the Flash Player APK file from a website incomplete came from people you would blindly trust, like your family, relatives or friends Upcoming.

But don't blame them. It's their phone that is sending these invites to all your contacts. Once a phone is infected with the trojan, it gains unauthorized access to contacts saved on it and sends them a link to download Flash Player. This is how this distribution scheme works. And all this happens right under the user's nose. You won't suspect a thing.

However, you should know that there is absolutely no reason to download an APK file from an untrustworthy site, even if it's suggested by someone you know. Plus, if you have any tech savvy, you'll know that Flash Player is as dead as it gets.

We all miss the beloved Flash Player and rightly so, because it was an important part of our online lives. But video streaming technologies have become advanced in recent years, and Flash Player couldn't do much. In any case, Adobe is still not desperate enough to send users links to Flash Player, which has been dead since 2020.

So what should you do in a situation like this?

Well, you should conveniently ignore those messages and links. FluBot is the culprit behind all devices that have been infected in the last year with malware coming from sources as as benign as a phone security update, a parcel delivery notification, and other app notifications legitimate. But there is always something wrong with these prompts. If you pay more attention, you're more likely to notice, but if you can't, you should completely ignore them.

These malware campaigns have one purpose and that is to steal your personal data to sell later or hijack devices for ransom. The aim could also be to spread the virus or Trojan to many more devices. And you must avoid falling into that trap. Practice safe internet routines and this involves downloading Android apps only from trusted sources like the Google Play Store.