Technology

New Android malware can empty your bank account in seconds

Published

2 months ago

November 27, 2025

New Android malware can empty your bank account in seconds

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Android users have been dealing with a steady rise in financial malware for years. Threats like Hydra, Anatsa and Octo have shown how attackers can take over a phone, read everything on the screen and drain accounts before you even notice anything wrong. Security updates have helped slow some of these strains, but malware authors keep adapting with new tricks.

The latest variant spotted in circulation is one of the most capable yet. It can silence your phone, take screenshots of banking apps, read clipboard entries, and even automate crypto wallet transactions. This threat is now known as Android BankBot YNRK, and it is far more advanced than typical mobile malware.

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How the malware infiltrates devices

HOW ANDROID MALWARE LETS THIEVES ACCESS YOUR ATM CASH

Android banking malware is getting harder to spot as attackers use new tricks to take over phones and drain accounts. (Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)

BankBot YNRK hides inside fake Android apps that appear legitimate when installed. In the samples analyzed by researchers at Cyfirma, the attackers used apps that impersonated official digital ID tools. Once installed, the malware begins profiling the device by collecting details such as brand, model and installed apps. It checks whether the device is an emulator to avoid automated security analysis. It also maps known models to screen resolutions, which helps it tailor its behavior to specific phones.

To blend in, the malware can disguise itself as Google News. It does this by changing its app name and icon, then loading the real news.google.com site inside a WebView. While the victim believes the app is genuine, the malware quietly runs its background services.

One of its first actions is to mute audio and notification alerts. This prevents victims from hearing incoming messages, alarms or calls that could signal unusual account activity. It then requests access to Accessibility Services. If granted, this allows the malware to interact with the device interface just like a user. From that point onward, it can press buttons, scroll through screens and read everything displayed on the device.

BankBot YNRK also adds itself as a Device Administrator app. This makes it harder to remove and helps it restart itself after a reboot. To maintain long-term access, it schedules recurring background jobs that relaunch the malware every few seconds as long as the phone is connected to the internet.

What does the malware steal

Once the malware receives commands from its remote server, it gains near-complete control of the phone. It sends device information and installed app lists to the attackers, then receives a list of financial apps it should target. This list includes major banking apps used in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and India, along with several global cryptocurrency wallets.

With Accessibility permissions enabled, the malware can read everything shown on the screen. It captures UI metadata such as text, view IDs and button positions. This helps it reconstruct a simplified version of any app’s interface. Using this data, it can enter login details, swipe through menus or confirm transfers. It can also set text inside fields, install or remove apps, take photos, send SMS, turn call forwarding on and open banking apps in the background while the screen appears inactive.

In cryptocurrency wallets, the malware acts like an automated bot. It can open apps such as Exodus or MetaMask, read balances and seed phrases, dismiss biometric prompts, and carry out transactions. Because all actions happen through Accessibility, the attacker never needs your passwords or PINs. Anything visible on the screen is enough.

The malware also monitors the clipboard, so if users copy OTPs, account numbers or crypto keys, the data is immediately sent to the attackers. With call forwarding enabled, incoming bank verification calls can be silently redirected. All of these actions happen within seconds of the malware activating.

BankBot YNRK hides inside fake apps that look legitimate, then disguises itself as Google News while it runs in the background. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)

7 steps you can take to stay safe from banking malware

Banking trojans are getting harder to spot, but a few simple habits can reduce the chances of your phone getting compromised. Here are seven practical steps that help you stay protected.

FBI WARNS OVER 1 MILLION ANDROID DEVICES HIJACKED BY MALWARE

1) Install strong antivirus software

Strong antivirus software helps catch trouble early by spotting suspicious behavior before it harms your Android device or exposes your data. It checks apps as you install them, alerts you to risky permissions and blocks known malware threats. Many top antivirus options also scan links and messages for danger, which adds an important layer of protection when scams move fast.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

2) Use a data-removal service to shrink your digital footprint

Data brokers quietly collect and sell your personal details, which helps scammers target you with more convincing attacks. A reputable data-removal service can find and delete your information from dozens of sites so that criminals have less to work with. This reduces spam, phishing attempts and the chances of ending up on a malware attack list.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com

3) Install apps only from trusted sources

Avoid downloading APKs from random websites, forwarded messages or social media posts. Most banking malware spreads through sideloaded apps that look official but contain hidden code. The Play Store is not perfect, but it offers scanning, app verification and regular take-downs that greatly reduce the risk of installing infected apps.

4) Keep your device and apps updated

System updates often patch security issues that attackers exploit to bypass protections. Updating your apps is just as important, since outdated versions may contain weaknesses. Turn on automatic updates so that your device stays protected without you having to check manually.

5) Use a strong password manager

A password manager helps you create long, unique passwords for every account. It also saves you from typing passwords directly into apps, which reduces the chance of malware capturing them from your clipboard or keystrokes. If one password gets exposed, the rest of your accounts remain safe.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Once active, the malware can read your screen, steal financial data, automate crypto transfers and intercept OTPs within seconds. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com

6) Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible

2FA adds a confirmation step through an OTP, authenticator app or hardware key. Even if attackers steal your login details, they still need this second step to get in. It cannot stop malware that takes over your device, but it significantly limits how far an attacker can go with stolen credentials.

GOOGLE ISSUES WARNING ON FAKE VPN APPS

7) Review app permissions and installed apps regularly

Malware often abuses permissions such as Accessibility or Device Admin because they allow deep control over your phone. Check your settings to see which apps have these permissions and remove anything that looks unfamiliar. Also, look through your installed apps and uninstall any tool or service you do not remember adding. Regular reviews help you spot threats early before they can steal data.

Kurt’s key takeaway

BankBot YNRK is one of the most capable Android banking threats discovered recently. It combines device profiling, strong persistence, UI automation and data theft to gain full control over a victim’s financial apps. Because much of its activity relies on Accessibility permissions, a single tap from the user can give attackers complete access. Staying safe means avoiding unofficial APKs, reviewing installed apps regularly and being cautious of any sudden request to enable special permissions.

Do you think Android phone makers like Samsung or Google are doing enough to protect you from malware? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Related Topics:Android cybercrime Featured Google Hackers Security

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Technology

Amazon’s New World: Aeternum MMO will shut down next year

Published

11 hours ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Amazon’s New World: Aeternum MMO will shut down next year

Amazon has announced that the servers for New World: Aeternum, one of the company’s MMOs, will be shut down on January 31st, 2027. The game will also be delisted and no longer available for purchase starting today, January 15th.

Last year, Amazon announced that it would be pivoting away from MMOs to put more of a focus on party games, and the company said at the time that it wouldn’t be releasing new content for New World: Aeternum and that the game’s servers would be active through 2026. But the longer-term future of the game was unclear, and now we know the official day everything will be shut down.

If you have already purchased New World: Aeternum, you can play it until it’s permanently taken offline. The Marks of Fortune in-game currency will be unavailable to purchase starting July 20th, 2026, and Amazon won’t offer refunds for it. And while there’s no new content coming to the game, “we will continue to monitor bugs and performance to ensure the game runs smoothly as things wind down,” Amazon says.

Technology

Can autonomous trucks really make highways safer?

Published

12 hours ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Can autonomous trucks really make highways safer?

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Kodiak AI, a leading provider of AI-powered autonomous driving technology, has spent years quietly proving that self-driving trucks can work in the real world. The company’s core system, the Kodiak Driver, brings software and hardware together in a practical way. As the company explains, “The Kodiak Driver combines advanced AI-driven software with modular, vehicle-agnostic hardware into a single, unified platform.”

That approach matters because trucking is not a closed lab environment. It is highways, weather, fatigue and long hours. Kodiak’s strategy focuses on solving those realities first.

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How public views on autonomous trucks are changing

During a recent episode of CyberGuy’s “Beyond Connected” podcast, Kurt spoke with Daniel Goff, vice president of external affairs at Kodiak AI, about how attitudes toward autonomous trucks have shifted over time.

WILL AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS REPLACE DRIVERS BY 2027?

Autonomous trucks are already hauling freight on public highways as companies test how the technology performs in real-world conditions. (Kodiak)

Goff described how different the reaction was when the company first launched. “Kodiak was founded in 2018, and I joined in 2019. When I first started at the company, I said I worked for a company that was working to build trucks that drive themselves, and people kind of looked at me like I was crazy. Over the last few years, we’ve really seen autonomous vehicles capture the public’s imagination. We’ve seen them grow in the real world. I think that people are getting more used to this idea.”

For Goff, that shift has come from seeing the technology operate safely outside of test environments, where performance matters more than hype.

Why autonomous trucks could improve road safety

One of Kodiak AI’s central arguments is simple. Machines avoid many of the risks that come with human driving. “We think there are advantages to this technology that humans, myself included, can’t match. You know this technology doesn’t get distracted. It doesn’t check its phone. It doesn’t have a phone. It doesn’t have a bad day to take it out on the road. It doesn’t speed. It doesn’t know how to speed. You know they’re pretty boring drivers.” In trucking, boring is often a good thing.

Where autonomous trucks are already operating today

Kodiak AI is already doing this on real roads. The company has been running active freight routes for years, not just testing in controlled settings. “Kodiak’s headquarters are in Mountainview, California, but since 2019, we’ve had a command center in Lancaster, Texas, which is just south of Dallas. Since 2019, we’ve actually been delivering freight from that Lancaster hub to Houston, Oklahoma City and Atlanta with what we call a safety driver behind the wheel.”

Those real-world miles have helped Kodiak fine-tune its system in everyday traffic, weather and long-haul conditions.

Tractor trailers at the entrance of the Port of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

The trucking problem Kodiak is trying to solve

Long-haul trucking is essential to the U.S. economy, but it is also one of the most demanding and risky jobs on the road. Drivers spend long stretches away from home, work extended hours and operate heavy vehicles in all conditions. As Goff put it, “Driving a truck is one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs that people do in the United States every day. You know, being a truck driver means, for at least a long haul truck driver, means you’re away from your family for sometimes days, weeks, even months at a time, sleeping in the back of the truck.”

He also pointed to federal safety rules that limit how long drivers can stay behind the wheel, which are meant to reduce fatigue but also restrict how much freight one person can move in a day. “If you’re driving the 11-hour legal maximum per day and there are people who love being long-haul truckers, but we’re not seeing people stepping up for those roles anymore in this country, and drivers are retiring every year.”

Those realities have contributed to ongoing driver shortages and growing pressure on the freight system. Kodiak believes autonomous technology is best used where the job is hardest and most repetitive. “The goal for this technology is really best suited for those really tough jobs. The long lonely highway miles, the trucking and remote locations where people either don’t wanna live or don’t or can’t easily live.”

Goff also highlighted how much capacity is lost simply because trucks sit idle for most of the day. “The average truck is driven about seven hours a day in the US, and you know there are 24 hours a day, so that’s a lot of time just sitting there.”

Autonomy, he said, could help change that math. “The goal of the technology is that you can basically run 24/7, just kind of stopping to refuel, to inspect the truck for safety, and you know, other than that, the trucks are moving.”

Long-haul trucking is one of the most demanding jobs on the road, which is why autonomous systems focus on long, repetitive highway routes. (Kodiak)

How many miles Kodiak AI has driven to prove safety

Kodiak AI emphasizes data over promises. “We’ve driven over 3 million miles with a safety driver behind the wheel for most of those miles, meaning somebody ready to take over at any time. So, we got a very good track record.” To put that into perspective, Goff added, “The average American drives about 800,000 miles in their lifetime, which seems crazy. That’s a lot of driving, but we’re at almost 4 average lifetimes with our system today, and we also use computer simulation, all sorts of things to assess the safety of the system.”

In addition to its long-haul operations, Kodiak AI works with Atlas Energy Solutions, which does oil logistics in the Permian Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico. As of Q3 2025, the company has delivered 10 driverless trucks to Atlas, which autonomously deliver sand up to 24 hours a day with no human operator in the cab. Goff says, “We see our work in the Permian as a perfect sandbox for our long-haul operations.”

The company has also sought third-party validation. “Additionally, we have done external-facing studies. We did a study with a company called Nauto, which is one of the leaders in AI-enabled dashcams. They actually help vehicle fleets compute safety scores from an outside perspective. Our system scored the highest ever in the Nauto safety score.”

THE ROAD TO PROSPERITY WILL BE PAVED BY AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING

Where autonomous truck regulations stand today

Policy is another key factor in adoption. “From a regulatory perspective. 25 states have passed laws allowing autonomous vehicle deployment.” Goff believes the danger of everyday driving makes the case clear. “I think people who think about transportation every day understand how dangerous driving a car is, driving a truck is, and just being on the road see the potential for this technology.”

What critics say about autonomous trucks

Autonomous trucking still raises concerns among safety advocates and everyday drivers. Critics question whether software can respond fast enough in emergencies, handle unpredictable human behavior or make judgment calls during complex highway situations.

Kodiak AI says those concerns are exactly why safety comes first. As Goff explained, “In this industry in particular, we really understand how important it is to be safe.”

The company argues that autonomous systems must earn trust over time through real-world performance, transparent testing and measurable results, not promises or hype.

What this means to you

For everyday drivers, autonomous trucks raise understandable questions. Sharing the road with a vehicle controlled by software can feel unsettling, especially when headlines often focus on what could go wrong. Kodiak’s argument is that safety improves when fatigue, distraction and emotional decision-making are removed from long highway driving. If the technology continues to perform as claimed, the impact could show up in quieter ways. That includes fewer tired drivers on overnight routes, more predictable freight movement and potentially safer highways over time. For consumers, it could also mean fewer delivery delays and less strain on a trucking system already short on drivers.

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Safety data, real-world miles and third-party reviews now play a central role in building trust in self-driving trucks. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Autonomous trucking is not a future concept anymore. Kodiak AI is already moving freight and collecting real safety data on public roads. At the same time, skepticism remains healthy and necessary. Trust in this technology will rise or fall based on transparency, regulation and long-term performance, not promises. The real question is no longer whether self-driving trucks can operate. It is whether they can consistently prove they make roads safer for everyone who shares them.

Would you trust autonomous trucks more if they could show a better safety record than human drivers over time? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Technology

X claims it has stopped Grok from undressing people, but of course it hasn’t

Published

23 hours ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

X claims it has stopped Grok from undressing people, but of course it hasn’t

Updates to [@]Grok Account

We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis. This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers.

Additionally, image creation and the ability to edit images via the Grok account on the X platform are now only available to paid subscribers. This adds an extra layer of protection by helping to ensure that individuals who attempt to abuse the Grok account to violate the law or our policies can be held accountable.

Geoblock update

We now geoblock the ability of all users to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X in those jurisdictions where it’s illegal.