Yesterday, we warned you about a new Android malware called HummingBad. The malware has reportedly infected an astounding 10 million devices already, with over 280,000 of those infections estimated to have taken place in the US. Unfortunately, chances are that even if you’ve been hit, you won’t know about it.
So how can you find out if your Android device has HummingBad?
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Although the existence of mobile malware is frustrating, mobile app developers and security groups have had time to respond, which means that there are plenty of apps on Google Play that can detect the intrusive software. As CNET suggests, if you haven’t installed anything yet, look to apps like Avast, Bitdefender, AVG and Zone Alarm to keep your phone safe from unwanted intruders.
If your chosen app happens to detect HummingBad on your phone, there’s really only one way to deal with it: factory reset. Yes, it’s a pain, but it’s almost certainly preferable to putting your data at risk.
Once you’ve removed the malware, it might be time to reexamine your downloading practices. If you’ve downloaded an app from an untrusted source in recent weeks, there’s a high probability that that’s where you installed HummingBad. In the future, try to limit your downloads to the Google Play store.
But whether or not you were unlucky enough to catch HummingBad, this issue is likely only going to get worse in the future. In Check Point’s report, they claim that a “dangerous trend will escalate as other groups learn from Yingmob [the creators] and find new ways to achieve the independence they need to launch larger and more sophisticated attack campaigns in the future.”
