Warning over new Android virus which can physically melt phones
A new Android virus is among the first pieces of malware which can physically destroy phones – overheating handsets so they no longer work.
The Trojan masquerades as an antivirus or porn app – but then takes over handsets once it’s installed.
The Loapi Trojan can force Android handsets to mine cryptocurrency – putting the processor under so much strain the phone overheats and breaks.
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Researchers from Kaspersky Lab say that the Trojan gets onto Android phones inside infected apps or via malicious adverts.
Once on a user’s phone it keeps putting up notifications asking for administrative rights – hoping that users will grant them either by accident or just to get peace.
The app can carry several malicious payloads, including serving up adverts, turning the phone into a ‘zombie’ for use in cyber attacks or mining cryptocurrency.
‘The surprisingly unexpected risk which this malware brings is that even though it can’t cause direct financial damage to the user by stealing their credit card data, it can simply destroy the phone,’said Nikita Buchka, a security expert at Kaspersky Lab.
‘This is not something you would expect from an Android Trojan, even a sophisticated one.’
Kaspersky advises users to be careful when downloading apps, and to avoid downloading apps from outside the official Google Play store.
