Recently, blockchain security company SlowMist issued a warning about a new form of asset theft by hackers through fake applications on the internet, including Binance and Skype.
According to data from SlowMist, the affected region for this new hacking method is primarily in China. This is because China restricts access to Google Play, so users often have to search for and download applications directly from the internet.
However, downloading apps directly from the internet carries significant risks because they could be fake apps created with the intent to steal information and hack users’ accounts. A clear example of this is the recent heist of millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies through a fake Skype calling app.
Specifically, researchers discovered that hackers requested users to grant access permissions and then sent this information to a backup server to transfer 192,000 USDT to a Tron wallet through 110 transactions. SlowMist also traced an unauthorized Ethereum wallet that received 7,800 USDT through Bitget.
SlowMist noted that the interface leading to malicious links has been disabled. Nevertheless, to minimize the risk of becoming a victim of such attacks, SlowMist advises users to only use official channels for downloading apps.
Notably, the investigation suggests that this app may have been created by a hacker group in China.
It’s worth mentioning that this is not the first time such hacking incidents have occurred. In 2022, SlowMist also received complaints about a fake Binance app on Baidu with the domain “bn-download[number].com,” which stole 5 ETH from users.