Beware! New Android malware steals your money then installs ransomware

It’s a story almost as old as time: malware is wreaking havoc on Android devices again. Usually, Android malware aims to steal sensitive data and passwords in order to gain access to online accounts . Less commonly, it installs ransomware to extort large sums of money from users .

A particularly dangerous malware variant that combines both techniques has now been discovered by security experts at ThreatFabric . Known as RatOn, the Trojan infiltrates an Android phone, accesses data, empties bank accounts, then locks the device to blackmail the owner.

All of this sounds scary enough, but it gets worse: RatOn can act largely autonomously. This means attackers hardly need to take any action once the Trojan lands on a device. It’s able to steal PINs its own, log into accounts, and trans