The Indian government has issued a warning regarding a dangerous malware threat targeted at Android users in the nation via social media and messaging services. The malware, known as DogeRAT, poses a serious concern because it may compromise critical information and give hackers control over infected machines.
DogeRAT is referred to as a Remote Access Trojan in the advice, which was released by the Controller General of Defence Accounts, a division of the Ministry of Defence. A sophisticated cyber campaign primarily targets Android users in India with this attack. To infect the devices of unwary users, this malware poses as legal programmes including Opera Mini, OpenAI ChatGPT, and the premium versions of YouTube, Netflix, and Instagram.
Once DogeRAT has gained access to a victim’s device, it can access private data like contacts, messages, and banking credentials without authorization. More worrisome however, it can seize whole control of the infected device, giving hackers access to send spam messages, start fraudulent transactions, edit files, snap pictures, and record keystrokes. This dangerous programme can also follow the user’s position and record audio, endangering their privacy even more.
The Defence Ministry has instructed its departments and employees not to download apps from dubious third-party sources or click on links from unidentified senders as a precaution against this threat. Additionally, they have emphasised the significance of keeping devices updated with the most recent software and security patches and suggested using antivirus software.
This warning follows prior research by CloudSEK researchers, who discovered that DogeRAT targets users in a variety of industries, including banking and entertainment.
Recent cybersecurity events, like the hack of the Ministry of AYUSH website in Jharkhand, also highlight the growing necessity for increased vigilance in protecting sensitive data online. The incident highlighted the growing challenges to digital data security by exposing more than 3.2 lakh patient details on the dark web.