Android ransomware changes a device’s PIN code

Researchers at security company ESET have found a type of malware that changes an Android device’s PIN, the first of its kind in an ever-evolving landscape of ransomware attacks.

For most users, the only option to get rid of the malware is to reset the phone to its factory settings, which unfortunately also deletes all the data on the device.

The malware calls itself “Porn Droid” and bills itself as a viewer for adult content. It has only been seen on third-party Android application marketplaces or forums for pirated software, wrote Lukas Stefanko, an ESET malware analyst.

But after it’s installed, users see a warning supposedly from the FBI that they’ve allegedly viewed “prohibited pornography.” It asks for a US$500 fine to be paid within three days.

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