Shedun, Shuanet and Shiftybug: Protect Android smartphones from malware

With Shedun, Shuanet and Shiftybug, a new malware attack wave is rolling over Android smartphones. The innovative malware infiltrates the mobile devices so deeply that often only the purchase of a new cell phone remains as an option. In this article, we will show you how to prevent this from happening at all and how you can protect yourself from the threat.

Malware Shedun, Shuanet and Shiftybug - what does that mean?

According to Lookout security experts, more than 20, 000 programs are infected with the Shedun family malware. Android users in the USA, Iran, Russia and Germany are particularly affected.

• Shedun, Shuanet and Shiftybug are so-called auto rooting Trojans. Your source code is approximately 80 percent identical. After installation, you will automatically gain administrator rights on your Android smartphone.
• The malware exploits such as ExynosAbuse, Memexploit and Framaroot are used for this. The attack usually goes unnoticed.
• The malware becomes noticeable by displaying advertisements on the smartphone and asking for the purchase of certain programs. According to Lookout, however, it also has the potential to read passwords or install additional apps.
• The malware is almost impossible to remove because the "install-recovery.sh" file is modified. Therefore, a factory reset of the smartphone does not remove the malware.
• So far, only cloned programs from apps such as Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, which are offered through third-party app stores such as SlideME or GetJar, are affected.

How to protect your Android device from malware like Shedun, Shuanet and Shiftybug

To protect yourself from the pests, you should consider the following:

• Do not install third party apps or other APKs from the Internet.
• Obtain apps only from the Google Play Store. This is scanned by Google for the malware and, according to Lookout, has not been affected so far.
• Use a current virus scanner for your smartphone and keep your Android operating system and all installed apps up to date.
• If your device is infected, you only have the option of installing a completely new custom ROM or buying a new smartphone.