Skip to main content

Terrifying Android malware Mazar could be used to remotely wipe your phone

history of malware android
Image used with permission by copyright holder
A particularly insidious piece of malware has been seen infecting Android smartphones, highlighting the need for vigilance when receiving messages from unknown sources. Discovered by security company Heimdal the malware is being referred to as Mazar, and apparently gives almost complete remote access to an infected phone, including the ability to reset the device, and erasing all stored data.

Mazar will arrive as an SMS or MMS message and installs a program on the phone giving administrator rights to the attacker. From there, almost nothing is out of bounds, from creating and sending new messages, monitoring activity, making calls, reading existing messages, messing with Chrome, locking the device, and worst of all, erasing the phone.

The process is complex, according to Heimdal’s research, and involves the original message, the installation of the program and TOR, connection to a mystery server, and finally the sending of an SMS with the device’s location. Why with the location? Interestingly, the security team discovered Mazar won’t install on devices that have Russian selected as the default language option. It’s noted the malware is available to buy through criminal websites located on the Dark Web, but this is the first time it has been seen attacking Android phones in the wild.

Awkwardly, it’s very difficult for antivirus software to spot, so people concerned about the attack need to take care themselves. The most obvious way to avoid Mazar is to never click on links sent in messages from anyone you don’t know.  If you’re still worried, make sure the option to only install apps from Google Play is active under Settings, and Security on your phone. The malware requires the ability to install apps from unknown sources to be selected. Oh, and if Mazar is your big worry, just start using your phone in Russian.

While concerning, the Mazar malware isn’t going to be particularly common, and there’s an excellent chance you’ll never come into contact with it. Even Heimdal says it doesn’t know how widespread the problem is. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cautious though, because Mazar isn’t the only piece of malware out there that could cause serious problems.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Google is making it easier to ditch your iPhone for an Android phone
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro in hand.

Switching phones is never a smooth process, even if you’re switching between two different Android phones. However, when you’re trying to switch from an iPhone to Android or vice versa, it can be extra complicated -- and you can lose data and apps that you rely on. This is especially the case with Apple-to-Android transfers because the iPhone has a much stronger ecosystem lock-in with things like iMessage, iCloud backups, and exclusive apps like Overcast and Hyperlapse.

The good news is that with its Data Transfer Tool (also called Pixel Migrate on Pixel devices), Google may be trying to mitigate some of the phone-switching problems that arise -- specifically, losing access to your Live Photos. According to an APK teardown from Android Authority, Google’s Data Transfer Tool will finally resolve the problem of migrating iOS Live Photos to Android. It will do this by converting them over as Motion Photos.

Read more
Is the messages app on your Samsung phone crashing? Here’s how to fix it
Google messages versus samsung messages app icons side by side on Galaxy Z Fold 5.

App crashes are annoying, but they’re extra annoying when it's your text messaging app that crashes while you’re trying to reach someone or — worse — when you're trying to get a two-factor authentication code.

According to users on Reddit and the Samsung Community forum, the Samsung Messages app keeps closing when they try to open any conversation. This is happening across Samsung Galaxy models, including the S21 and S4 Ultra, and across different carriers, meaning it’s not a device or carrier issue. Many users have reported that restarting their phone, restarting in safe mode, and clearing the app cache hasn’t helped.

Read more
This new Android feature isn’t coming to your Samsung phone after all
Someone holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus.

A screenshot of the Instant Hotspot feature Google

Google has announced seven new features rolling out to Android phones soon, including message editing in Google messages, improved cross-device services, and perhaps most notably Instant Hotspot. This feature streamlines hotspot creation and tethering between your Android phone and tablet or Chromebook, letting you create hotspots without having to deal with passwords and QR codes.

Read more