Beware of this fake Android antivirus that steals your data and spies on you without you even knowing.

Scams and computer viruses continue to be a part of our daily lives , and in an attempt to combat fraud or malware , users download apps that promise reliable protection for their devices. Unfortunately, however, cybercriminals exploit this fear by creating apps that claim to be antivirus, when in fact, they are spyware that mimics legitimate apps .

As expected, after installing these types of apps , the fake antivirus programs scan the victims' devices and even display an alarming number of detected threats, considering they don't detect any real threats. A clear example of this type of malicious app is LunaSpy, a platform that pretends to be an antivirus for Android .

According to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky , this spyware infiltrates mobile phones through messaging apps , disguised not only as antivirus but also as banking protection tools. Furthermore, after installation, LunaSpy displays the number of threats detected on the device to force the user to grant all possible permissions, supposedly to protect the smartphone . In this way, the victim gives access to all their personal data without realizing the true motives of the fake antivirus.

But aside from accessing victims' information, LunaSpy also records audio and video from the microphone and camera ; reads texts, call logs, and contact lists; executes arbitrary shell commands; tracks geolocation ; and records screens.

On the other hand, Kaspersky discovered malicious code responsible for stealing photographs, "but it is not yet in use." Furthermore, the cybersecurity company adds that all the information collected It is sent to attackers via command and control servers.

How to protect your device from this spyware

Users should avoid downloading third-party apps because they often contain malware . Furthermore, users should never download APK files from messaging apps. They should also check which apps are granted permissions , so they should be cautious when granting permissions, since an antivirus app doesn't require as many.

And finally, if you are offered to download a super-accurate and secure antivirus—and there is nothing about it on the Internet— it is strongly recommended that you do not download that platform .

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