Trojan: CBI warns about online fraud with coronavirus application

New Delhi : Those who are using an application to track coronavirus status on mobile devices may lose their money, warned the CBI.

The investigation agency issued an alert to all the Union Territories and central agencies about a malicious app that uses an update related to the coronavirus pandemic and steals financial data such as credit card or debit card number of the person who has installed it and can later withdraw the money from the account.

The agency recently received input from the Interpol, relating to a banking Trojan known as Cerberus. "This malicious software takes advantage of Covid-19 pandemic to impersonate and send SMS using the lure of Covid-19 related content to download the embedded malicious link, which deploys its malicious app usually spread via phishing campaigns to trick users into installing it on their smartphones," reads the CBI alert.

According to the agency’s probe, this Trojan mainly focuses on stealing the financial data from a mobile device. "In addition, it can use overlay attacks to trick victims into providing personal information and can capture two-factor authentication details," said the CBI.

Many state police have received complaints regarding financial fraud during the coronavirus pandemic.