Coronavirus-Related Malware Crops Up & How To Unlock Your Phone

Users concerned about the spread of coronavirus will desire to exist on the lookout for a new piece of unlock-lawmaking-irresolute malware that claims to track the virus'due south spread. Dubbed CovidLock by researchers at DomainTools, the malware stems from the domain coronavirusapp[.]site. Users are prompted to download the malicious app for existent-time COVID-19 tracking.

One time downloaded, the awarding requests permissions and acts to eventually enact a device password change. Specifically, that's the password required to unlock the smartphone. So, the malware presents users with a ransom note rather than their typical lock screen. The note demands users to send $100 in bitcoin while clicking through the associated link to do so volition request an additional $150.

If users don't pay up, the threat claims, personal data including pictures, videos, and social media accounts will be leaked publicly. Finally, the ransom tells users their location is beingness tracked and that if they "attempt anything stupid" their telephone'due south information will be erased.

Why is CovidLock a real threat to Android users?

As shown in the steps below, CovidLock presently doesn't represent much of a threat to users in its electric current state. It could also evolve or be changed in the future to act more maliciously or to be more hard to overcome. The existent threat of this malware is that information technology feeds off of users' concerns coronavirus and then builds from that by making information technology impossible to unlock their smartphone.

Right now, there are enough of myths and misconceptions surfacing nigh coronavirus and associated COVID-19. While many of those are easily debunked, the widespread panic has given rise to plenty of misinformed apps. Those have since been removed from the Google Play Store. But Google has no control over apps published to sites outside of its primary market for Android.

Since users are spending more fourth dimension researching the virus, bad actors are focusing their efforts there. This app is especially threatening to users because information technology claims, falsely, that it can assistance track the spread of associated illnesses. That's something that simply isn't possible with whatever accuracy since testing kits are in short supply.

In outcome, the app leads users based on relevant fears. And so it locks down their device with no testify that paying off the assaulter will actually solve anything.

If you've been affected by this malware, hither's how to unlock your phone

This malware only works on devices that are withal running Android vii.0 Nougat or older variants of the Os. For newer handsets, the malware but works if no lock screen password has been gear up.

For everyone who happens to have fallen victim to this particularly malicious fake coronavirus-tracking malware, information technology's adequately easy to unlock an affected device. So at that place'southward no reason to worry too much about the current iteration of the attack.

That's considering researchers with DomainTools have already decrypted the key to unlock smartphones. It likewise appears as though in that location's no real harm associated with the malware. The threats outlined above announced to have been empty for at present.

The fundamental to unlocking phones that take been hit by CovidLock is "4865083501" — as provided by DomainTools. That tin can exist entered on the lock screen. Then, users merely need to hit the "Decrypt" button. The decryption key is 'static'. So that's going to remain the same unless the malware evolves. Users volition want to ensure that they uninstall the offending application immediately upon unlocking their smartphone.