This Android Trojan blocks your fingerprint so you can enter the PIN to have access to your mobile

It seems that even though some time has passed, there is a malware which continues to give a lot to talk about in the world of Android mobiles. First detected in early 2023, this has evolved with an update that gives it extra capacity.

Now, Chameleon—this is the name of the malware— can block biometric fingerprint authentication, to force users to enter their PIN code or password, thus having full access to your mobile without you hardly realizing it.

As ThreatFabric cybersecurity researchers explain, for Android users who always download applications from the Google Play store and are cautious about possible scams phishingChameleon’s threat is limited.

However, those who download apps from unverified sources could expose themselves to the risk of installing this malware on your devices. The latest version of Chameleon even presents itself as a seemingly real and harmless Google Chrome application, so you should be very attentive.

This is how Chameleon works and takes control of your Android mobile

Chameleon is a banking Trojan for Android that disguises itself as a Google Chrome app downloaded from untrustworthy sources. Once installed, it tricks the user into enabling accessibility services and disables biometric authentication such as fingerprint.

The malicious application searches for specific versions of Android, guiding users to activate services that allow them to finally take control of the mobile. Chameleon switches from biometric authentication to PIN authentication, stealing passwords and allowing remote access.

Google, aware of this serious problem, assures users that Play Protect will give you the necessary protection against Chameleon. However, as mentioned before, the responsibility falls on users to avoid downloading applications from untrustworthy sources, especially when receiving suspicious links through emails.