E-Business
Cybercriminals Use Darknet to Sell Malicious Google Play Apps for up to US$20,000

After analysing offers of malicious apps on Google Play that are for sale on the Darknet, Kaspersky experts have discovered that malicious mobile apps and store developer accounts are being sold at up to US$20,000.
Using Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence, researchers collected examples from nine different Darknet forums where the purchase and sale of goods and services related to malware is carried out.
The report sheds light on how threats sold on the Darknet appear on Google Play and also reveals the offers available, price range and features of communication and agreements between cybercriminals.
Even though official app stores are vigorously policed, moderator services can’t always catch malicious apps before they’re uploaded. Every year a vast range of malicious apps are deleted on Google Play only after victims have been infected.
Cybercriminals gather on the Darknet – a whole underground digital world with its own rules, market prices, and reputational institutions – to buy and sell Google Play malicious apps, and additional functions to upgrade and even advertise their creations.
Like on legitimate forums for selling goods, there are also various Darknet offers for different needs and customers with different budgets. To publish a malicious app, cybercriminals need a Google Play account and a malicious downloader code (Google Play Loader).
A developer account can be bought cheaply, for US$200 and sometimes even for as little as US$60. The cost of malicious loaders ranges between US$2,000 and $20,000, depending on the complexity of malware, the novelty and prevalence of malicious code, as well as the additional functions.
Most often, the malware being distributed is suggested to be hidden under cryptocurrency trackers, financial apps, QR-code scanners and even dating apps. Cybercriminals also highlight how many downloads the legitimate version of that app has, which means how many potential victims can be infected by updating the app and adding malicious code to it. Most frequently the suggestions specify 5,000 downloads or more.
For an additional fee, cybercriminals can obfuscate the application code to make it harder to detect by cybersecurity solutions. To increase the number of downloads to a malicious app, many attackers also offer to purchase installs – directing traffic through Google ads and attracting more users to download the app. Installs cost differently for each country.
The average price is US$0.50, with offers ranging from US$0.10 to several dollars. In one of the discovered offers, advertisements for users from the USA and Australia cost the most – US$0.80.
Fraudsters offer three kinds of work: for a share of the final profit, rent, and full purchase of either an account or a threat. Some sellers even hold auctions to buy their goods, since many sellers limit the number of lots sold.
For example, in one offer that was found, the starting price was US$1,500, with $700 incremental steps in the auction, and the blitz – the instant purchase for the highest price – was $7,000.
Darknet sellers can also offer to publish the malicious app for the buyer so they do not directly interact with Google Play, but can still remotely receive all of the victims’ detected data.
It may seem that in such a case the developer can easily deceive the buyer, but it is common among Darknet sellers to preserve and maintain their reputation, promise guarantees, or accept payment after the terms of the agreement have been completed.
To reduce risks when making deals cybercriminals often resort to the services of disinterested intermediaries, known as “escrow”. The escrow may become a special service and supported by a shadow platform, or a third party who is not interested in the results of the transaction.
“Malicious mobile apps continue to be one of the top cyberthreats targeting users, with more than 1.6 million mobile attacks detected in 2022. At the same time, the quality of cybersecurity solutions that protect users from these attacks is also increasing.
On the Darknet, we found messages from cybercriminals complaining how it is now much harder for them to upload their malicious apps to official stores. However, this also means that they will now come up with much more sophisticated circumvention schemes, so users should stay alert and carefully check which apps they are downloading,” comments Alisa Kulishenko, security expert at Kaspersky.
E-Business
Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

A widespread cyberattack targeting Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) server software used by thousands of government agencies and businesses for internal document sharing was likely orchestrated by a single actor, a cybersecurity researcher said on Monday.
Microsoft issued an alert on Saturday warning of “active attacks” on on-premise SharePoint servers.
The company clarified that SharePoint Online, part of the Microsoft 365 cloud suite, was not affected by the exploit, which is considered a “zero-day” vulnerability due to its previously undiscovered nature.
“Based on the consistency of the tradecraft seen across observed attacks, the campaign launched on Friday appears to be a single actor. However, it’s possible that this will quickly change,” Rafe Pilling, director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos, a British cybersecurity firm.
That tradecraft included the sending of the same digital payload to multiple targets, Pilling added.
Microsoft said it had “provided security updates and encourages customers to install them,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
It was not clear who was behind the ongoing hack. The FBI said on Sunday it was aware of the attacks and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.
Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Washington Post said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.
According to data from Shodan, a search engine that helps to identify internet-linked equipment, over 8,000 servers online could theoretically have already been compromised by hackers.
Those servers include major industrial firms, banks, auditors, healthcare companies, and several U.S. state-level and international government entities.
“The SharePoint incident appears to have created a broad level of compromise across a range of servers globally,” said Daniel Card of British cybersecurity consultancy, PwnDefend.
“Taking an assumed breach approach is wise, and it’s also important to understand that just applying the patch isn’t all that is required here.”
E-Business
Flaw in Microsoft SharePoint Sparks Global Cybersecurity Concern

A Microsoft SharePoint server software flaw is causing widespread concern across the global cybersecurity landscape, exposing thousands of organisations to hackers exploiting a new vulnerability.
This critical vulnerability exposes government agencies, universities, and energy firms who are at risk of cyberattacks. The flaw, now being actively exploited by unidentified hackers, allows attackers to gain deep, remote access to on-premise SharePoint servers.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has confirmed that the vulnerability can enable malicious actors to access internal files, change configurations, and even execute remote code, effectively giving them high-level control over compromised systems.
Microsoft has also acknowledged the breach and released a security patch aimed at stopping the ongoing attacks. The firm urged users to apply the patch immediately, saying it is working to roll out additional protections, according to a statement reported by Bloomberg.
Despite these efforts, cybersecurity researchers warn that systems may remain vulnerable if attackers have already infiltrated networks, stolen authentication keys, or implanted persistent backdoors before patches were applied.
The United States hosts the highest number of these vulnerable systems, followed by the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
The Washington Post reported that the breach has already impacted a range of institutions, including U.S. federal and state agencies, academic institutions, energy companies, and a telecommunications firm in Asia.
This latest incident adds to a growing list of cybersecurity challenges facing Microsoft. In March, the company revealed that Chinese state-backed hackers had targeted its cloud-based services to infiltrate both U.S. and international organisations.
Last year, the U.S. Cyber Safety Review Board sharply criticised Microsoft’s internal security culture as ‘inadequate’ after a separate breach compromised its Exchange Online mail systems and exposed communications of high-level officials.
E-Business
NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that it has reduced incidents of extortion and unofficial charges in the identity enrolment process by over 40 per cent.

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC,
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, who disclosed this at an event in Lagos at the weekend, attributed the drop to improved transparency in fee structure at the commission.
The CEO was represented by Lanre Yusuf, director, Information Technology and Identity Database, NINC.
The workshop, organised by the identity regulator in partnership with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, focused on repositioning Nigeria’s digital identity landscape and combating misinformation.
According to Coker-Odusote, the sharp reduction in illicit charges is a direct result of reforms introduced by NIMC to curb racketeering and unauthorised payments, which have for years plagued the national identity registration process..
“Enrolment for the National Identification Number remains free. We have standardised modification and authentication fees, and these are publicly disclosed. Our enforcement of a transparent fee structure has resulted in a 40 per cent drop in extortion and unofficial charges,” the regulator said.
She explained that prior to her assumption of office, complaints about exploitative fees at enrolment centres were widespread, fuelling public distrust in the system.
However, she noted that the commission had since prioritised transparency and stakeholder accountability, ensuring that Nigerians no longer have to pay above the legally mandated fees. “We are addressing deep-rooted issues that once undermined public confidence in the enrolment process,” she said.
The NIMC chief added that the commission had introduced digital tools to reduce human interference in the registration process.
These include the NINAuth mobile app, the Self-Service NIN Enrolment and Modification app, and Contactless Biometric Solutions, all designed to make the system more efficient, secure, and user-friendly.
Coker-Odusote also reiterated the commission’s commitment to inclusion, stressing that no Nigerian should be left behind in the country’s digital identity transformation.
According to her, over 7,167 front-end enrolment agents and partners have been revalidated and retrained to serve the public professionally, with strict monitoring mechanisms now in place.
In addition, NIMC has deployed grievance redress officers across all 36 states to handle complaints from Nigerians about enrolment centres and agents, with a 24/7 toll-free line available to report any misconduct.
The reforms are part of broader efforts by the Commission to build a unified, secure, and people-centred digital identity system that facilitates access to government services, financial inclusion, social protection, and national planning.
Coker-Odusote called on media partners to support the Commission in disseminating accurate information, countering misinformation, and raising awareness about the benefits of digital identity.
“We are asking our partners in the media to help us combat fake news and promote transparency in the identity ecosystem. We need to ensure every Nigerian understands their rights and knows that their identity is key to accessing opportunities and services,” she said.
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