Do you know most of the Android phones having Agent Smith virus which hides in Whatsapp

Agent Smith virus is mostly spreading from third-party app stores, once it enters into our mobile it hides in top apps like WhatsApp and Flipkart. Throughout the world, over 2.5 crore mobiles have been infected by Agent Smith virus, in that more than 1.5 crore mobiles are in India.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Mostly agent smith virus spreads through a genuine looking app like 9Apps, which is a third-party app store.
2. Once it enters into our mobile it changes its name to something starts with Google, like Google Updater, Google themes, etc.
3. It also injects its code into top apps like WhatsApp and Flipkart and then allows its own ads in infected mobiles.
4. We have to uninstall this type of apps manually in case we have installed previously.

This virus allows unrelated ads in the infected mobiles without user knowledge. Once it enters into a mobile, it hides by changing its name as a familiar apps like something else with Google in it, for example, Google updater, Google Themes, etc.

This information was revealed by a company that makes security apps and often provides guidance on cybersecurity threats which is called checkpoint research. This malware automatically replaces installed apps with malicious versions without users consent or interaction. This virus allows fraudulent ads in infected phones for financial gain, hence it could easily grab our banking credentials like as eavesdropping.

Check Point Research Company discovers that this virus mostly spreads through third-party app stores like 9Apps. They targeted mostly at Indian, Arabic, and Indonesian countries and it successfully penetrated into a noticeable number of devices in developed countries such as Saudi Arabia, UK, and US.

Generally, agent smith virus hides in high used apps like photography editing apps, gaming apps, and other adult related apps. Now Google removed some apps from android play store to prevent the virus attack from android users. So if you have installed the following apps in your mobile the immediately uninstall that apps from your mobile or reset the mobile. For example clash of virus, angry virus, sky warriors: General attack, ludo master: new ludo game 2019 for free, shooting jet, photo projector, gun hero: gunman game for free, girl cloth x-ray scan simulator, etc. Check Point Research has submitted data to Google and law enforcement units to facilitate further investigation. So that Google has cleaned the Play store to remove the apps that were infected with it.

1. If you are getting too many ads on your phone, particularly unrelated ads without our interaction, then scan your phone with a good anti-virus app. At the same time, always follow good security practices like as follows
2. Don’t download apps from unauthorized app stores like 9Apps. And don’t download APK files from a paid app for free. If they are providing free apps, we have to understand that someone somewhere is enjoying a benefit from it. Always download apps from the official Google Play store.
3. If you have any doubt that your phone is infected by any virus, then immediately delete data of popular apps like WhatsApp and Flipkart by going into settings and reinstall these apps or factory reset the mobile.
4. Avoid installing any apps from unknown sources.
5. Don’t give unnecessary permissions to the new apps at the time of installation. For example, there is no need to give camera, contacts permission for a gaming app.