A new Android banking trojan is also ransomware

A new kind of Android malware steals online banking credentials and can hold a device’s files hostage in exchange for a ransom, delivering a particularly nasty one-two punch.

The malware, called Xbot, is not widespread yet and appears to be just targeting devices in Australia and Russia, wrote researchers with Palo Alto Networks in a blog post on Thursday.

But they believe whomever is behind Xbot may try to expand its target base.

“As the author appears to be putting considerable time and effort into making this Trojan more complex and harder to detect, it’s likely that its ability to infect users and remain hidden will only grow,” Palo Alto wrote.

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