Malware: NITDA Raises Alarm Over Money Lending App ‘MoneyMonger’

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has issued a warning about the “MoneyMonger” malware, which is used by hackers to blackmail unsuspecting people.

Mrs Hadiza Umar, the agency’s Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations, issued the warning in a recent statement issued in Abuja.

The malware campaign, according to Umar, was designed to blackmail users into accepting their demands or risk having their private information leaked into the public domain.

“Developing countries like Nigeria are a prime target for dodgy loan apps and this has created an avenue for hackers to exploit,” Umar said.

“Although none of the 33 apps used in the deceptive scheme has been distributed through the Google Play Store, they have been distributed through unofficial app stores like Smishing, rogue ads, compromised websites, and social media campaigns.

“The campaign has reportedly racked up over 100,000 downloads.’

She went on to say that once the malware is installed, it harvests and uploads a variety of private data from the victim’s device to its server.