Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
An Android financial malware called xHelper by Kaspersky scientists has actually been found to obtain all types of financial credentials in addition to take login details and root devices. The developers of this malware have actually designed it to function mainly as banking malware offering lots of lucrative opportunities for the cyber-criminals that are going to be using it. Customers are highly suggested to read this article and also learn how to safeguard themselves from this Android OS banking malware.
xHelper Virus
The criminals who rearrange this trojan have very skillfully though out the process of reproducing this malware infection. Among the methods the criminals make use of is to download a main application, such as Pokemon Go, Vkontakte or Telegram as well as strip it’s code down to include a destructive script in it. Then, they re-upload the changed malicious application as well as upload it on unethical third-party websites.
Since such internet sites do not have their approach of self-replicating, the criminals might additionally link these websites as well as advertise the malicious links that might create the download of such apps. This can occur in several ways, one of which is Facebook spam that advertises the application, just like My Secret Video Facebook malware does.
After the applications are installed on the tool, the malware then may link to multiple third-party web links and download the complete payload of the xHelper trojan.
Threat Summary
Name
xHelper
Type
Android Virus
Short Description
May enter your device and steal crucial information from it.
Symptoms
You may see slow downs and other activities on your device.
The malware is specifically brilliant in it’s activities. One activity it performs is that it coordinates with the phony application which works as a downloader. After the application downloads the destructive documents, which are secured for obfuscation, it decrypts them on the gadget and also implements them.
Hereafter has actually been done, the malicious application might additionally download and install updates to the application adding new functions to it’s presently existing ones. And the presently existing functions are numerous that they provide the ones that have actually infected you a push-button control like consents:
Complete control of the SMS solution.
Complete control of the phone’s phone calls.
Equilibrium checks of the phone.
Obtaining the phone’s contacts.
Altering the destructive web server from which files are downloaded.
Producing a lock display on the tool as well as revealing a web page.
Making lists that accumulate password and also username info for various solutions.
Switching down and also turning off a gadget.
Besides those numerous features, this malware likewise has the ability of rooting the phone, meaning that the cyber-criminals may have access to more attributes also, just as an origin customer. This, besides providing complete control to the phone’s apps, software, as well as equipment, it likewise permits them to steal all the info they wish to and also input it in their immediately produced login databases.
How to Remove xHelper Android Trojan
The xHelper banking trojan is an extremely dangerous hazard, as well as the crooks who established it are especially clever. One reason is that they have actually managed to successfully focus on Android tools given that mobile repayment usage is ending up being much more constant than ever. All customers that make use of mobile settlement techniques and have set up applications from suspicious areas ought to protect their phone by hard resetting it, which can be quickly done if you adhere to the instructions hereafter post.
Preparation before removal of xHelper.
Before starting the actual removal process, we recommend that you do the following preparation steps.
Turn off your phone until you know how bad is the virus infection.
Open these steps on another, safe device.
Make sure to take out your SIM card, as the virus could corrupt it in some rare cases.
Step 1: Shut Down your phone to win some time against xHelper
Shutting down your phone can be done by pressing and holding its power button and choosing shut down.
In case the virus does not let you do this, you can also try to remove the battery.
In case your battery is non-removalble, you can try to drain it as fast as possible if you still have control over it.
Notes: This gives youtime to see how bad the situation is and to be able to take out your SIM card safely, without the numbers in it to be erased. If the virus is on your computer, it is espeically dangerous to keep the sim card there.
Step 2: Turn on Safe Mode of your Android device.
For most Android devices, switching to Safe Mode is the same. Its done by following these mini-steps:
1.Turn on your device and hold the power button until you see the following menu:
2.Tap on Safe Mode Icon to reset your phone to Safe Mode, like shown below:
3.When you turn on your phone, you will see the letters “Safe Mode” written on the side, bottom or other corners of the screen. Your phone will also be in Airplane mode. This will help avoid any viruses communicating with the hacker.
Step 3: Eliminate the App that Your Believe is the Virus
Usually Android viruses get masked in the form of applications. To eliminate apps, follow these mini-steps:
1.Swipe down from the top of your phone and locate the Settings symbol and tap on it.
2.When you open the Settings menu, you should be able to locate the control center of all your App Permissions. It should look something like the following:
3.Now if you know which the virus or adware app is, you should locate it and tap on it:
4.When you enter the app, you will see two options – to Force Stop it and to Uninstall it. Make sure to first Force Stop it so that your phone is safe from any tripwire tactics of the app that may destroy it an then tap on Uninstall to remove it.
5.Now if you are sure that the virus or adware app is removed, you can hold the Power button and tap on Restart:
Step 4: Find Hidden Virus Files on Your Android Phone and Remove Them
1.To find hidden files manually (In case you know where the virus files are), you can use Safe Mode to go to where your Files are actually located. Usually, this is a folder, named “My Files” or something approximate to this:
2.There you should be able to locate all of your files and all of the folders:
Simply locate the virus and holdtap on the virus file to delete it.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Get Dashlane to see if your device is infected by xHelper
Secure your Android or Apple mobile device against data-stealing Viruses now! Dashlane’s security service is free but the paid version is needed to get access to full features. Read Dashlane’s EULA and Privacy Policy.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Before starting the actual removal process, we recommend that you do the following preparation steps.
Turn off your phone until you know how bad is the virus infection.
Open these steps on another, safe device.
Make sure to take out your SIM card, as the virus could corrupt it in some rare cases.
Step 1: Shut Down your phone to win some time
Shutting down your phone can be done by pressing and holding its power button and choosing shut down.
In case the virus does not let you do this, you can also try to remove the battery.
In case your battery is non-removalble, you can try to drain it as fast as possible if you still have control over it.
Notes: This gives youtime to see how bad the situation is and to be able to take out your SIM card safely, without the numbers in it to be erased. If the virus is on your computer, it is espeically dangerous to keep the sim card there.
Step 2: Turn on Safe Mode of your Android device.
For most Android devices, switching to Safe Mode is the same. Its done by following these mini-steps:
1.Turn on your device and hold the power button until you see the following menu:
2.Tap on Safe Mode Icon to reset your phone to Safe Mode, like shown below:
3.When you turn on your phone, you will see the letters “Safe Mode” written on the side, bottom or other corners of the screen. Your phone will also be in Airplane mode. This will help avoid any viruses communicating with the hacker.
Step 3: Eliminate the App that Your Believe is the Virus
Usually Android viruses get masked in the form of applications. To eliminate apps, follow these mini-steps:
1.Swipe down from the top of your phone and locate the Settings symbol and tap on it.
2.When you open the Settings menu, you should be able to locate the control center of all your App Permissions. It should look something like the following:
3.Now if you know which the virus or adware app is, you should locate it and tap on it:
4.When you enter the app, you will see two options – to Force Stop it and to Uninstall it. Make sure to first Force Stop it so that your phone is safe from any tripwire tactics of the app that may destroy it an then tap on Uninstall to remove it.
5.Now if you are sure that the virus or adware app is removed, you can hold the Power button and tap on Restart:
Step 4: Find Hidden Virus Files on Your Android Phone and Remove Them
1.To find hidden files manually (In case you know where the virus files are), you can use Safe Mode to go to where your Files are actually located. Usually, this is a folder, named “My Files” or something approximate to this:
2.There you should be able to locate all of your files and all of the folders:
Simply locate the virus and holdtap on the virus file to delete it.
Step 5: Secure your Android data from this threat and other malware in the future.
When you are facing problems on your Android as a result of unwanted scripts and apps such as xHelper, the recommended way of protecting your banking and personal information is by using advanced protection app that has the highest security standarts. Dashlane offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Android device security and protect it in the future. Here is how to install it:
1.Tap on the button below and wait a moment to get to the download page:
3.Select to open it with Play Store if it asks you:
4.Tap on “Install” to install the App.
After the app is installed, you should open it and create a Free account. From there on, it has easy instructions how to add all your saved passwords on your Android to secure them against any invasive apps, adware and viruses.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
