A security firm named CheckPoint, recently detected and released information about an online malware, called the CopyCat malware, that prompted multiple fraudulent applications to download on your device, from sources outside the Google Play Store. The malware is identified as CopyCat malware, which roots the devices, without any notification or user confirmation.



It is reported that the CopyCat malware targeted all the loopholes in Android’s operating system, and caused as much exploitation as possible. This raises the question of user data security as well as the concerns relating to exploits and data leak, which have become very rampant in the digital age. The threat to our data security is way more than what we can imagine.



Once the CopyCat malware roots your system, it works towards modifying your Android OS’s app code while launching the system. This modification allows malware developers to follow and record user activity. As the name suggests, the malware basically replicates your activities, thus being a ‘copycat’. Later this information is sold, and used by companies to earn ad revenue, by prompting users to see fraudulent advertisements.

copycat malware
Image Source – infosecinstitute.com

More than 14 million users were trapped by this CopyCat malware, out of which 8 million devices were rooted, without the user’s knowledge. And during this data security low line, 4.9 million malware apps were installed while 3.8 million users had to deal with fraudulent ads which were served by this CopyCat malware. It is estimated that this malware helped in generating ad revenue of $1.5 million, at the expense of user’s security and privacy.