Tag Archive for: devices

How to Enable Private DNS on Android Devices

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In today’s digital world, online privacy has become a crucial concern. While Android offers various security features, one often overlooked gem is the Private Domain Name System (DNS). This powerful tool encrypts your internet traffic, shielding your browsing activity from snooping eyes and boosting your overall online security.

Think of DNS as the internet’s phonebook, translating website names into computer-readable addresses. Traditionally, this process was unencrypted, leaving your browsing data exposed to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or other third parties. Private DNS encrypts this communication, creating a secure tunnel for your internet requests, and adding a layer of privacy and protection.

Google has brought DNS over TLS support to Android by introducing the Private DNS feature. It’s available in Android 9 (Pie) and higher and encrypts all DNS traffic on the phone, including from apps.

The feature is enabled by default and uses a secure channel to connect to the DNS server if the server supports it. But if your ISP or cell service provider’s DNS doesn’t have encrypted DNS support, or you are simply not sure about it, you can use a third-party secure DNS server using the Private DNS feature.

The benefits of secure Private DNS include enhancement of privacy, improved security, and faster browsing. In this guide, we will show you how to activate this powerful feature on your Android device, step-by-step.

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New Android malware family has infected thousands of devices – here’s what we know

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Cybersecurity researchers from McAfee hae uncovered over a dozen malicious apps lurking in the Google Play Store. 

The researchers claim these apps were carrying a potent piece of malware, capable of stealing sensitive data from the infected Android devices and possibly even running ad fraud.

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‘Xamalicious’ Android malware infects 338,000 devices: What you need to know

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In a new security discovery, McAfee revealed the existence of a sneaky Android backdoor named Xamalicious, which has infected around 338,000 devices through malicious apps available on Google Play.

The backdoor is hidden within apps built using the open-source Xamarin framework, making it challenging to detect and analyse.

According to McAfee’s telemetry data, the majority of infections were found on devices in the United States, Germany, Spain, the UK, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.

Android Apps Affected by Xamalicious

The 14 infected apps identified by McAfee include popular titles such as Essential Horoscope for Android, 3D Skin Editor for PE Minecraft, Logo Maker Pro, Auto Click Repeater, Count Easy Calorie Calculator, Dots: One Line Connector, Sound Volume Extender, and more.

Once installed, Xamalicious gains access to the device’s sensitive data and system functions through the Accessibility Service, allowing it to execute privileged operations like navigation gestures and hiding on-screen objects.

How Xamalicious Works

The backdoor also communicates with a Command and Control (C2) server to retrieve a second-stage DLL payload (“cache.bin”) if specific conditions related to geography, network, device configuration, and root status are met.

This discovery highlights the importance of staying vigilant while downloading apps, even from official app stores.

Users are advised to regularly check their devices for potential threats and take necessary measures to protect their data and system from malware infections.

Also watch: OxygenOS 14 rolls out in India for OnePlus 9, 9 Pro, 9RT & Nord 2T

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New Sneaky Xamalicious Android Malware Hits Over 327,000 Devices

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Dec 27, 2023NewsroomPrivacy / App Security

Sneaky Xamalicious Android Malware

A new Android backdoor has been discovered with potent capabilities to carry out a range of malicious actions on infected devices.

Dubbed Xamalicious by the McAfee Mobile Research Team, the malware is so named for the fact that it’s developed using an open-source mobile app framework called Xamarin and abuses the operating system’s accessibility permissions to fulfill its objectives.

It’s also capable of gathering metadata about the compromised device and contacting a command-and-control (C2) server to fetch a second-stage payload, but only after determining if it fits the bill.

The second stage is “dynamically injected as an assembly DLL at runtime level to take full control of the device and potentially perform fraudulent actions such as clicking on ads, installing apps, among other actions financially motivated without user consent,” security researcher Fernando Ruiz said.

The cybersecurity firm said it identified 25 apps that come with this active threat, some of which were distributed on the official Google Play Store since mid-2020. The apps are estimated to have been installed at least 327,000 times.

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A majority of the infections have been reported in Brazil, Argentina, the U.K., Australia, the U.S., Mexico, and other parts of Europe and the Americas. Some of the apps are listed below –

  • Essential Horoscope for Android (com.anomenforyou.essentialhoroscope)
  • 3D Skin Editor for PE Minecraft (com.littleray.skineditorforpeminecraft)
  • Logo Maker Pro (com.vyblystudio.dotslinkpuzzles)
  • Auto Click Repeater (com.autoclickrepeater.free)
  • Count Easy Calorie Calculator (com.lakhinstudio.counteasycaloriecalculator)
  • Sound Volume Extender (com.muranogames.easyworkoutsathome)
  • LetterLink (com.regaliusgames.llinkgame)
  • NUMEROLOGY: PERSONAL HOROSCOPE &NUMBER PREDICTIONS (com.Ushak.NPHOROSCOPENUMBER)
  • Step Keeper: Easy Pedometer (com.browgames.stepkeepereasymeter)
  • Track Your Sleep (com.shvetsStudio.trackYourSleep)
  • Sound Volume…

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