June's Dark Gift The Rise of Qwizzserial
This research uncovers the previously unknown family of Android SMS stealers that was identified along with some others during our previous investigation on Ajina. This family is named Qwizzserial after the common Java package name for its main activity component shared across samples with different Android package names.
SMS stealers pose a serious threat in Uzbekistan, as SMS remains a primary channel to interact with end users. Local payment systems are reliant on SMS to deliver two-factor authentication (2FA) codes for confirmation, including:
- P2P-transfers
- Payments for goods and services
- Adding a card to payment applications
- Authorization confirmations
This is the only security layer in most transactions in the absence of 3D Secure or biometrics. The implication of the reliance of payment systems on SMS authentication means that fraudsters can intercept the SMS, and give them control over the victim’s finances.
To read the complete article see: Rise of Qwizzserial