What is AhRat?
AhRat is a Trojan application that can steal data from Android OS users almost instantly. The new virus captures “screenshots” of device screens, reads click-related data, and sends the obtained information to its developers. By using a combination of characters to connect into banking services and create passwords, fraudsters can gain access to cryptocurrency wallets. By running the same Trojan on the smartphone’s installed applications, the worth of the stolen data is confirmed. The presence of a virus on the gadget is incredibly challenging to find. The data transfer indicator is the only thing you can see. If you don’t download anything, it may mean that the program is sending data to the server, but the smartphone might also be updating an application or synchronizing anything in the background.
Learn more about removing viruses from Android
What should I do to avoid getting infected with the AhRat virus?
With the growing number of mobile device users, the number of viruses has also increased. If earlier Trojans that change settings and infect other files (for example, Skulls for Symbian) were the most dangerous, then modern hacker developments are able to make the gadget stop turning on, deleting the information necessary for the OS. To avoid similar situations in the future:
- Prohibit installations from third-party sources in the settings. You will still be able to download games, movies, music, books, and programs from the Play Market store, files which are manually and automatically checked;
- Download the antivirus. Do not abuse this point – just one such application is enough, simultaneous use of several will cause the device to slow down;
- Check the permissions of the existing software, and remove the checkboxes from the “Change system settings” item for services that do not belong to reliable publishers, such as Google.
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Reset to Factory Settings
It will not be so easy to remove the application from the device. Definitely, it is necessary to reset the device to factory settings. Keep in mind that this will lead to the loss of personal data. Before performing the procedure, perform a backup.
- Start up your device in Recovery Mode using previous instruction
- Select the “Factory Reset” option, and a notification will appear that it is impossible to reverse the changes;
- After completing the process, restart the phone by clicking on “Reboot“.