A Simple SMS Can Erase Your Android Phone

 

Be aware for the next text message you receive.

Security company Heimdal Security has discovered that hackers are randomly sending malicious text messages to Android device owners. If the user clicks on the link, the program is downloaded, allowing it to gain administrator rights to the device, the report claims.
Once the payload, known as Mazar BOT, has been unleashed, the hackers can do everything from access the Internet to send text messages. Perhaps most concerning, however, is that they can also fully erase the infected handset, Heimdal says.

Mazar BOT has been available for sale on the Dark Web, but this is the first time the company has seen it used in the wild. Interestingly, the company also found that the malware will not install on Android smartphones running Android with the Russian language switched on, suggesting a possible tie with Russian hackers.
It's unclear how many people have been affected by the hack; Heimdal says the text message has been sent out at random. The company cautioned users to never click on links in text messages, as well as turn off the security option that allows apps from unknown sources to be installed on their device.
Looking ahead, Heimdal believes this may only be the start of things to come. The attacks right now appears to be a proof of concept and may be part of a broader hacking strategy. Indeed, while some devices have been wiped clean, it's also possible to use Mazar BOT to simply lurk and remotely monitor what a smartphone owner is doing.