E-Business
New Smartphone Trojan Signs up Users for Unwanted Paid Services via Apps
Kaspersky researchers have discovered a new Trojan family that targets Google Play users. The subscription trojan, dubbed Fleckpe, spreads via photo editors and wallpapers, subscribing unaware users to paid services.
Fleckpe has infected more than 620,000 devices since it was detected in 2022, with victims around the globe.
From time to time, malicious applications are uploaded to the Google Play Store. Among these are subscription Trojans, which are some of the trickiest.
They will often go unnoticed until the victim sees that they have been charged for services they never intended to buy. This type of malware often finds its way into the official marketplace for Android apps. Two recent examples were the Jocker family and the recently discovered Harly family.
The new Trojan family, Fleckpe, is Kaspersky’s latest discovery that spreads via Google Play under the guise of photo editors, wallpaper packs and other apps. In fact, it subscribes the unwitting user to paid services.
Kaspersky data suggests that the Trojan has been active since 2022. The company’s researchers have found at least 11 apps infected with Fleckpe, which have been installed on more than 620,000 devices.
Although the apps had been removed from the marketplace by the time the Kaspersky report was published, it is possible that cybercriminals will continue deploying this malware in other apps. This means the real number of installations is likely to be higher.
The infected Fleckpe app launches a heavily obfuscated native library that contains a malicious dropper responsible for decrypting and running a payload from the app’s assets. This payload establishes connection with the attackers’ command-and-control server and transmits information about the infected device, including the country and carrier details. After that, a paid subscription page is provided.
The Trojan then secretly launches a web browser and attempts to subscribe to the paid service on the user’s behalf. If the subscription requires a confirmation code, the malware accesses the device’s notifications to obtain it.
Thus, the Trojan subscribes the users to a paid service without their consent, resulting in the victim losing money. Interestingly, the app’s functionality remains unaffected, and users can continue to edit photos or set wallpapers without realising that they have been charged for a service.
“Subscription Trojans have only grown in popularity with fraudsters lately. The cybercriminals using them have increasingly turned to official marketplaces like Google Play to spread their malware. Growing complexity of the Trojans has allowed them to successfully bypass many anti-malware checks implemented by the marketplaces, remaining undetected for long periods of time.
“Affected users often fail to discover the unwanted subscriptions right away, let alone find out how they got subscribed to something in the first place. All this makes subscription Trojans a reliable source of illegal income in the eyes of cybercriminals,” commented Dmitry Kalinin, security researcher at Kaspersky.
Nigerian government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced a strategic collaboration to strengthen cybersecurity and clean up the nation’s cyberspace.
Recognizing that cybercrime knows no borders, Nigeria also reaffirmed its commitment to fostering stronger global partnerships within the cybersecurity ecosystem.
This announcement was made during a press conference before the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Abuja from July 9th to 11th, 2025.
Sa’ad Abubakar, national cybersecurity coordinator from the Office of National Security Advisor, said fighting cybercrime must take the whole of society and the whole of the government approach.
According to him, “Apart from the deterrent approach whereby government agencies such as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrest individuals, take them to court and prosecute them, the youth can be nurtured into better citizens who can showcase their capacity in better ways and be useful to the country.”
Similarly, Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general, NITDA, also stressed the need for collaborative efforts in fighting cybercrimes.
According to him “Then, in addition to that, we also want to build a stronger global collaboration with the global cyber security ecosystem, because when you look at cybercrime in general, it doesn’t respect the borders.
“Someone can commit a crime from Ghana using a Nigerian ID in the US. So you can look at him physically in a different jurisdiction, pretending to be in another jurisdiction, committing the crime in another jurisdiction.
“So without that kind of synergy and working together, it will be difficult to address these challenges. The third one is challenge. The third one is getting an alternative to cybercrime for our kids in Nigeria. We have this as a major challenge.”
Inuwa further highlighted the upcoming conference’s importance, noting that it would tackle key issues through workshops, discussions on emerging threats, cross-border cybersecurity collaboration strategies, and training programmes.
He also announced that the National Cybersecurity Conference 2025 would feature the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, recognising top contributions in the field.
The DG extended an invitation to global partners to collaborate with Nigeria in building a safer digital future.
The press conference was attended by notable figures, including Ahmad Sa’ad Abubakar, National Coordinator of, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCCC); Hanniel Jafar, Representative of the President, of Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN); Ankit Shukla, Managing Director, QNA Marketing Management LLC and members of the press and other stakeholders.
XIAN Telecom has acquired an 8% stake in pan-African e-commerce company Jumia Technologies, citing the platform’s fintech and logistics strengths as key drivers of its backing.
This marks the first major telecom investment in Jumia since MTN Group’s exit in 2020.
AXIAN, a fast-growing telecom and digital services provider with operations across Africa, disclosed the purchase in a Schedule 13D filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
While the financial terms were not disclosed, AXIAN Telecom CEO, Hassan Jaber, described the move as a strategic alignment with Jumia’s growth trajectory and digital ecosystem.
“Jumia’s achievements in digital retail and fintech, particularly through JumiaPay and its logistics network, make it a very attractive investment for us. We believe in Jumia’s potential to promote financial and economic inclusion, which aligns with our core values,” said Jaber.
Once dubbed the “Amazon of Africa,” Jumia became the first African-founded tech company to list on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019.
But years of underperformance, leadership changes, and competitive pressures dented investor confidence.
In October 2020, South Africa’s MTN Group offloaded its 18.9% stake for $138 million, well below the $698 million value it once held post-IPO.
Since then, Jumia has undergone a significant transformation. Under CEO Francis Dufay, appointed in 2022, the company exited low-performing markets like South Africa and Tunisia, cut costs, and doubled down on core markets – Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco.
The firm is now focused on high-growth verticals, including everyday essentials and digital financial services.
Jumia’s regional CEO for East Africa, Vinod Goel, recently revealed plans to scale up international brand offerings and open its logistics network to third-party businesses.
Jaber underscored that AXIAN Telecom’s investment signals renewed confidence in Jumia’s long-term potential.
The telecom firm’s CEO said the company views Jumia as a key player in advancing Africa’s digital economy, aligning with AXIAN’s mission through its fintech and digital infrastructure brands such as Yas and Mixx by Yas.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general, National Identity management commission (NIMC) has said that the commission is set to register 95 percent of Nigerians into the National Identity Database before December 2025.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote,, DG, NIMC
She made this statement at a press briefing to highlight the commissions goal aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly on digital governance and inclusive development.
The mass enrollment drive will be powered by a combination of improved infrastructure, expanded registration centres, and robust public sensitization campaigns.
As of May 2025, NIMC reports over 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled, and about 100 million more would be captured by December.
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