{"id":11368,"date":"2016-02-22T10:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-02-22T15:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?p=11368"},"modified":"2017-09-24T08:09:02","modified_gmt":"2017-09-24T12:09:02","slug":"acecard-android-trojan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/acecard-android-trojan\/11368\/","title":{"rendered":"Android trump card: Acecard"},"content":{"rendered":"

It seems that there is now a typical scenario for malware evolution. First cybercriminals release a skeleton with basic functions \u2014 that piece of malware behaves quietly, showing almost no malicious activity. Usually it comes in sight of several anti-virus companies shortly after it\u2019s release, but the researchers treat it like yet another piece of potentially malicious code: nothing of particular interest.<\/p>\n

\"Acecard<\/a><\/p>\n

After some time the trojan (yes, it\u2019s usually a trojan) gets additional functionallity and becomes capable of doing way more harm than the first version potentially could. During the third step, the massive attack campaign begins: thousands of devices get infected and then the trojan does it\u2019s dirty job. The amount of damage dealt depends on the type of the trojan \u2014 it can turn out to be either ransomware<\/a> asking for up to several hundred dollars, or a banking trojan stealing whatever it can get from your credit cards, spying tool on you, etc.<\/p>\n

\"Acecard<\/a><\/p>\n

For example, this was the exact scenario for Asacub<\/a>, which had first emerged as a rather simple phishing program and then turned into a banker with capabilities that of a heavy weapon. And now Acecard has followed a similar path. This malware seems to be even more serious bad news than Asacub.<\/p>\n

\n

Evolution of #Asacub<\/a> trojan: from small fish to ultimate weapon \u2013 https:\/\/t.co\/lLv0pY4lol<\/a> #infosec<\/a> #mobile<\/a> #banking<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/gAM3zzy7aC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kaspersky (@kaspersky) January 20, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n