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Android ransomware variant adds clickjacking to bag of tricks

January 28, 2016

By Bradley Barth

Sixty-seven percent of Android devices are prone to a newlydiscovered ransomware variant – the first to employ “clickjacking” as a way tofool users into giving away their administrator rights, Symantec warned todayin its Security Response blog.

The malware, Android.Lockdroid.E, is disguised as a porn appcalled Porn ‘O' Mania. When users download the app, the malware pulls up thephone's system activation dialogue, but hides it behind a fake window askingusers to commence a package installation.

Using more fake window overlays, the malware tricks usersinto clicking on the button that grants admin rights to the malware. This clickjackingtechnique allows the ransomware to execute a more aggressive extortion attackagainst the victim, as now the malware can not only encrypt files, but alsolock the device, change its PIN and delete user data through a factory reset.

Bradley Barth

As director of multimedia content strategy at CyberRisk Alliance, Bradley Barth develops content for online conferences, webcasts, podcasts video/multimedia projects — often serving as moderator or host. For nearly six years, he wrote and reported for SC Media as deputy editor and, before that, senior reporter. He was previously a program executive with the tech-focused PR firm Voxus. Past journalistic experience includes stints as business editor at Executive Technology, a staff writer at New York Sportscene and a freelance journalist covering travel and entertainment. In his spare time, Bradley also writes screenplays.