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Redirect landing page with dynamic name visible in the top right cornerĮxamples of different names for the same SMSFactory app This can, for example, be a game hack app, an adult content app, a free video streaming app or similar. The user is prompted to download a file that is made to resemble the site the user was redirected from. The redirect in this case leads to a website such as the one in the screenshot below.
#Avast for android phone number tv
Malvertising refers to the misuse of adverts to redirect users to sites with malware payloads, and can often appear on websites providing free streaming of films and TV shows, adult content, or torrent aggregators, but may occasionally appear on mainstream sites as well. The bad actors behind SMSFactory rely on malvertising to drive their campaign. Avast has protected more than 165,000 Avast users from SMSFactory in the past year (May 2021-May 2022), with the highest number of users protected in Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey and Ukraine.
#Avast for android phone number series
Once installed, the malware hides itself, making it nearly impossible for victims to detect what is causing the charges on their phone bills.Ī series of websites have been set up with the purpose of spreading and remote control of the malware. We have dubbed the malware SMSFactory due to its functions, as well as class names in its code, one of which is called SMSFactory.Īccording to my research, the malware is spreading through malvertising, push notifications, and alerts displayed on sites offering game hacks, adult content, or free video streaming sites, serving the malware disguised as an app in which users can access gaming, videos, or adult content. One version we found is also capable of extracting victims' contact lists, likely to spread the malware further. Undetected, it can rack up a high phone bill, up to $7 per week or $336 per year, leaving an unpleasant surprise for victims. These numbers appear to be part of a conversion scheme, where the SMS includes an account number, identifying who should receive the money for the messages sent. SMSFactory sneakily siphons money from victims around the world, including Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Ukraine, US, France and Spain, among others, by sending premium SMS and making calls to premium-rate phone numbers. Avast protected more than 165,000 people across the globe from this threat within a year.Īvast has been tracking a wide-spread malware campaign consisting of TrojanSMS malware, which we are calling SMSFactory.