A sophisticated Android banking trojan dubbed GhostGrab has emerged in the threat landscape, targeting financial institutions across multiple regions with advanced credential theft capabilities.
The malware operates silently on infected devices, harvesting sensitive banking credentials while intercepting one-time passwords through SMS messages.
Security teams have observed active campaigns distributing GhostGrab through compromised application stores and malicious advertisements, raising concerns about the evolving sophistication of mobile banking threats.
GhostGrab employs a multi-layered infection strategy that begins with social engineering tactics, often masquerading as legitimate productivity applications or system utilities.
Once installed, the malware requests extensive permissions under the guise of standard application functionality, including accessibility services, SMS access, and overlay permissions.
Permissions requested (Source – Cyfirma)
These privileges enable the trojan to monitor user activities, capture screen content, and intercept authentication messages without triggering immediate suspicion from victims.
Cyfirma researchers identified the malware during routine threat intelligence operations, noting its refined approach to evading detection mechanisms deployed by major banking institutions.
The trojan demonstrates advanced anti-analysis capabilities, including emulator detection and debugger checks that terminate execution when research environments are detected.
Analysis reveals that GhostGrab maintains command-and-control communication through encrypted channels, receiving updated configuration files that specify targeted banking applications and exfiltration protocols.
The malware’s impact extends beyond individual account compromise, as threat actors leverage stolen credentials for unauthorized fund transfers and fraudulent transactions.
Financial institutions have reported increased incidents of account takeovers correlating with GhostGrab infections, prompting enhanced monitoring protocols and customer security advisories.
Technical Architecture and Data Exfiltration Methods
GhostGrab implements a sophisticated overlay attack mechanism that displays convincing phishing screens atop legitimate banking applications.
When victims launch targeted financial apps, the malware dynamically generates pixel-perfect replicas of login interfaces, capturing credentials as users enter them.
The trojan monitors incoming SMS messages through registered broadcast receivers, filtering for authentication codes matching common OTP patterns.
Extracted credentials and OTP codes are immediately encrypted using AES-256 encryption before transmission to remote servers, minimizing detection by network monitoring tools.
The malware maintains persistence through system boot receivers and foreground services that restart core components following device reboots or application terminations.
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The post New GhostGrab Android Malware Silently Steals Banking Login Details and Intercept SMS for OTPs appeared first on Cyber Security News.
