AGENT SMITH

July 29, 2019

According to Indian cybercrime officials, Indians constitute the highest number of victims of the recently detected Agent Smith malware.

About:

What is it? First noticed early this year, the malware can replace apps on android phones with malicious versions without the user’s knowledge.
Working:
- Agent Smith is embedded in apps available on Google Playstore, mostly connected to gaming, image editing or adult entertainment. Once a user downloads the app, the malware gets active, looking for other apps that it can take over. Its ability to impersonate apps makes it next to impossible to detect.
Impact: According to a report by Checkpoint, a private cyber security firm, Agent Smith is believed to have infected over 25 million devices so far. Around 59% of those affected by Agent Smith are Indians.