{"id":76322,"date":"2017-07-25T06:00:52","date_gmt":"2017-07-25T13:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=76322"},"modified":"2025-08-05T09:57:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T16:57:24","slug":"leaker-locker-mobile-malware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/mobile-security\/leaker-locker-mobile-malware\/","title":{"rendered":"Running from Ransomware: A Mobile User\u2019s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the second my alarm goes off, my day goes 100 miles a minute. In addition to getting myself ready for work, I have to pack my kids some brag-worthy lunches, conquer the stack of unwashed dishes in the sink from the night before, and make sure that everyone is out the door on time. One day, in\u00a0 the midst of all the usual mania, I had a horrible realization that I had forgotten to buy my mom\u2019s birthday present.<\/p>\n

To save myself some time, I whipped out my phone, scrolled through the net and explored a few last-minute gift options. In the corner of my eye, I saw an ad for some cute shoes she\u2019d like from a retail site I had previously visited. Zoom, tap, bam! Browsing history comes through to help me find a present in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\n

Last-minute online shopping isn\u2019t the only thing our connected devices are good for. We rely on our mobile phones for the simplest things to navigate through our daily lives. From mapping directions, to scrolling through nearby restaurant reviews, to quickly scanning newsworthy articles, our devices accumulate a lot of personal data through our browsing history.<\/p>\n

Although browsing history has come handy for me in certain situations, it often gets a bad rap on its own. Leaker Locker, the new mobile malware<\/a> discovered by the McAfee team<\/a>, has created a browsing history nightmare by leveraging surfing habits against mobile users.<\/p>\n

When we\u2019re navigating through the net, we usually (often wrongfully) assume that our information will remain private. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not always the case. Our increased trust of the web and dependence on our connected devices has excited cybercriminals, causing the number of mobile malware threats to grow over 80% in the last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hiding behind apps that can be found in the Google Play store, Leaker Locker harnesses its malicious ransomware<\/a> by disguising itself as an unauthorized mobile backup. Present on two apps<\/a> on the Google Play store, this ransomware disguised as an app leaves the everyday consumer, like you and me, vulnerable.<\/p>\n

So how does Leaker Locker work? It attacks when the user allows device permissions to the newly downloaded, disguised app. Once the malicious app gains access to the device, the device is locked down, and a message pops up on-screen, announcing\u00a0 that the owner\u2019s sensitive information has been compromised. This private information is then used as a bargaining chip for a ransom.<\/p>\n

Tips to Avoid Ransomware<\/h2>\n

Want to make sure you\u2019re not the next victim of this ransomware? Follow these tips:<\/p>\n