As cyber crime across the globe continues to grow at a tremendous rate, a new malware by the name of Xavier is targeting Android users.
The virus has the potential of spying on a user irrespective of what they do on their phones.
Your TOR usage is being watched
It has affected more than 800 Android applications and is deemed to have the capacity to stay in Android systems without any detection. For those who use iPhones or any other mobile device that doesn’t operate on Android, system versions are pretty much safe.
In a post by Trend Micro, the company claims to have discovered the malware which they further say steals and leaks your information.
The compromised information includes passwords, especially for those who use mobile versions of payments systems such as PayPal and banks.
Therefore, users should watch out because perhaps they already have an app that is infected with Xavier. Of course, the probability that they are using an infected device is quite high.
For starters, it is never advisable to download apps without following a particular protocol. When a user is interested in getting an app on Google play store, it is never recommended that they just download without checking the reviews as well as the manufacturer.
It is essential that a user gets the correct app downloaded to avoid the possibility of a virus in the form of malware, spyware or even ransomware.
Checking the reviews of any given app at any given point will be of great beneficial to the user as it enables them to read about the experience other people have faced.
For example, when an app has quite some negative reviews then something is wrong. Whereas if the number of positive reviews is high, then it is a recommended app.
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Then, when it comes to the developer, not all developers are trusted as some of their apps has flaws in them that enable attackers to infiltrate your device just by downloading it.
It is always recommended that if you are going to download an application, always check the name of the developer.
Of course, always go for an app from developers that have a good reputation and have been in the business for long. The reason for this is because if you just download an app randomly, then your risk exposure is pretty high.
Some app developers lack the much-needed skills to develop a fully functional system that has minimal flaws.
At times, there is a reason as to why individuals working in white-collar and other high stature jobs prefer the iPhone as compared to Android devices. A good explanation as to why this happens is because of security.
Apps on Android stores are much easier to find because several developers may create a system that performs more or less the same way. Then, the fact that many more viruses are put on Android makes iOS the preferred option to many.
A recent threat report released in the United States stated that a majority of threats target Android users whereas less than one percent of the threats were meant for iOS users. One reason for this is because Android devices are much cheaper than Apple devices.
Due to this, more people end up purchasing devices that run on Android.
A quick fact check shows that more companies offer Android as compared to iOS. To name just a few offering Android; Samsung, Huawei, Tecno, etc., whereas for iOS, it is just Apple.
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And the diversity of users on Android is so large that it makes it a major income earner for Google. With this in mind, we see the reason as to why attackers opt to create viruses such as Xavier.
A quick note of advice for Android users is to update their system versions so as to minimize their risk exposure. A DoHS report was compiled some time back, and the results were very much surprising.
The report stated that about 45 percent of Android users were using an earlier version called “gingerbread” which had quite some flaws despite the fact that it was released two years earlier.
The same DoHS report stated that 75 percent of iPhone users had upgraded their system devices to the latest standards of iOS 9.
With the above factors in mind, it shows that iPhone users are more exposed and aware of cyber security and the need to update their systems quite regularly.
Google play logo
At Google Play Store apps are not controlled by Google
The main disadvantage with applications found on the Google store is the fact that those apps are not controlled by Google, so as to say the platform is open.
Therefore, the possibility of having apps that are used to compromise the security of an individual is pretty high.
It’s no wonder that Xavier is on more than 800 apps in the Play Store.
Now that news about Xavier is public and much-discussed, Android users should take extra precaution. Even though Google is in the process of eliminating infected apps from the Play Store, it does not mean that the virus will completely disappear.
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It is very evident that there are incidences where an infection goes away for quite some time only to later return and cause more havoc. The possibility of the same thing happening to Xavier is very high.
For this reason, all Android users must avoid downloading apps without knowing their complete functionality. Because once the virus in your device, it is not easy to get rid of it.
Even if you uninstall the app, the spyware or malware will remain.
