New Malware Can Increase Phone Bill, Delete All Data From Phone

Android phones have a new enemy!

New malware called Mazar spreading via text messages can delete all content from your phone, make calls, and even read your texts!

The news comes from Denmark, where a text message with Mazar malware was sent to more than 100,000 phones, and employees of Heimdal, the security company that discovered it, are unsure whether the virus-containing message reached users in other European countries.

The message contains a link to multimedia content, which if clicked installs Tor software, allowing anonymous internet connections to your phone. The malicious software is then installed through Tor, and it can do some pretty serious damage to your phone, such as running up a hefty phone bill.

Users who get the message shouldn’t be at risk if they don’t install the malware, and another group of users who are safe are those with their phone language set to Russian.

Not opening suspicious links from e-mails, text messages, on Facebook, Twitter, Viber and other similar communication services is a sure way to stay safe, even if the link is sent from someone you know.