ISLAMABAD: To secure personal data on Android phones, the National Telecommunication and Information Security Board (NTISB) has warned the government institutions and the general masses about dangerous apps on the Play Store that steal personal data from smartphones.
The NTISB issued an advisory alerting people not to download any anonymous app on their phone from the app store.
These apps can access call logs, audio recordings, videos, screenshots, locations, and even financial details stored on mobile phones.
Behind these cyber threats, the North Korean groups known as APT-37 and APT-43 are involved. These groups are behind two specific forms of malware: the Anatsa (sometimes called T-Bot) banking Trojan, which targets user passwords and financial information, and the Quaspy spyware, which can access a variety of media and communication data.
The NTISB has issued key recommendations for all ministries, public institutions, and general users that are the immediate delete any suspicious apps from smartphones.
Other precaution measures include the installation of apps only from trusted developers and verifying app permissions before installation, keeping Google Play Protect enabled to automatically detect and block harmful applications, and staying informed and ensuring full implementation of the advisory to protect against potential financial losses and data theft.
The purpose of this warning is to safeguard the public and national institutions from increasingly complex cyberthreats. The NTISB underlined that adherence to cybersecurity regulations is necessary to stop institutional and personal data from leaking.
