1.3M Android Users Infected By 'Gooligan' Hackers; Android Malware Steals Personal Account Info; Here's How To Prevent Malware From Taking Over

Recent reports of an android malware have surfaced over the web. This malware is said to be created and operated by "Gooligan" Hackers.

A report from CNBC confirmed that this malware has started hacking Android users' accounts since August this year. "Gooligan" hackers have since targeted Google users from Asia. Researchers from Check Point Software Technologies say that these hackers are looking and digging into each users' Google Play, Google Drive, G Suite, Google Photos, and Gmail. The research warns that this Android malware installs programs into your phones to generate big revenues. Reports say they earn as much as $320,000 per month.

Here's how "Gooligan" hackers do it: Forbes says that Google users will acquire the Android malware once they install an app from a third-party source. Android users will get to download this malware through websites, specifically porn sites or third-party app stores. To date, the rate of Android phones getting infected per day is at 13,000 in average and since August, the count has already reached to 1.3 Million Android users.

Once the Gooligan hackers' malware gets inside a specific Android phone, the malware identifies which requirements it needs, roots into the phone and steals information. What's even worse is that the malware can already take full control of these Android-operated smartphones.

To avoid this from happening to Android users' phones, Mashable suggests that users should only download apps from the official Google Play Store. Google users can also check if their phones are already affected through Check Point's website. However, if the account has already been breached, experts suggest that the user should turn off his or her phone and have a clean operating system installed. Right after that, the user should then change all his passwords which are connected to his Google account.