How to avoid having a device infected with Hydra malware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of malware is Hydra?
Hydra is an Android banking Trojan targeting customers of Commerzbank, a major German bank. After downloading and opening the malicious app, it requests certain permissions. It starts its malicious activities after receiving those permissions. It is known that threat actors used Google Play Store to distribute Hydra by disguising it as a PDF document manager.
More about Hydra
Hydra requests more than twenty permissions. If allowed, this malware can constantly run in the background, monitor and intercept incoming and outgoing data, modify Wi-Fi settings, access contacts, device state, and information, access and modify external storage, and make phone calls. Also, it can access and send SMS messages, install apps, and show system alert windows.
Additionally, Hydra can screencast the screen, hide its icon, steal one-time passwords, and obtain the screen lock PIN. Hydra uses encrypted TOR communications and disables Play Protect to avoid being detected.
Hydra is no longer available on the Google Play store. However, it has been found on third-party stores such as apkaio[.]com and apkcombo[.]com. Having a device infected with Hydra can cause problems such as identity theft, financial losses, loss of access to personal accounts, additional infections, and other issues.
| Name | Hydra Android malware |
| Threat Type | Android malware, malicious application, unwanted application. |
| Detection Names | Avast-Mobile (Android:Evo-gen [Trj]), BitDefenderFalx (Android.Trojan.Banker.YM), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Android/TrojanDropper.Agent.IVA), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Bian.h), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | The device is running slow, system settings are modified without user's permission, questionable applications appear, data and battery usage is increased significantly, browsers redirect to questionable websites, intrusive advertisements are delivered. |
| Distribution methods | Malicious online advertisements, social engineering, deceptive applications, scam websites, third-party stores, SMS messages. |
| Damage | Stolen personal information (private messages, logins/passwords, etc.), decreased device performance, battery is drained quickly, decreased Internet speed, huge data losses, monetary losses, stolen identity. |
| Malware Removal (Android) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your mobile device with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Banking malware in general
Most banking Trojans target banking-related information such as online banking account login credentials, user ID, credit card details, bank account number, etc. Android malware often performs overlay attacks to steal information - it displays an active window over a legitimate application.
More Android malware examples are Exobot, BianLian, and Anatsa.
How did Hydra infiltrate my device?
Most cybercriminals use SMS, social media, third-party stores, and forum posts to trick users into installing malicious applications on their smartphones. It is known that Hydra was masquerading as a Commerzbank Security and a PDF document manager. It infects devices after downloading and installing it.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Do not use questionable sources to download applications. Always use legitimate/official stores and platforms. Read reviews before installing applications. Avoid installing apps with few or no reviews (or with a low rating). Do not click links in suspicious SMS messages or emails or trust advertisements appearing on shady pages.
Keep the installed software and operating system up to date. Use 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) to ensure online accounts' security instead of just a username and password.
Quick menu:
- Introduction
- How to delete browsing history from the Chrome web browser?
- How to disable browser notifications in the Chrome web browser?
- How to reset the Chrome web browser?
- How to delete browsing history from the Firefox web browser?
- How to disable browser notifications in the Firefox web browser?
- How to reset the Firefox web browser?
- How to uninstall potentially unwanted and/or malicious applications?
- How to boot the Android device in "Safe Mode"?
- How to check the battery usage of various applications?
- How to check the data usage of various applications?
- How to install the latest software updates?
- How to reset the system to its default state?
- How to disable applications that have administrator privileges?
Delete browsing history from the Chrome web browser:
Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "History" in the opened dropdown menu.
Tap "Clear browsing data", select "ADVANCED" tab, choose the time range and data types you want to delete and tap "Clear data".
Disable browser notifications in the Chrome web browser:
Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "Settings" in the opened dropdown menu.
Scroll down until you see "Site settings" option and tap it. Scroll down until you see "Notifications" option and tap it.
Find the websites that deliver browser notifications, tap on them and click "Clear & reset". This will remove permissions granted for these websites to deliver notifications. However, once you visit the same site again, it may ask for a permission again. You can choose whether to give these permissions or not (if you choose to decline the website will go to "Blocked" section and will no longer ask you for the permission).
Reset the Chrome web browser:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.
Scroll down until you find "Chrome" application, select it and tap "Storage" option.
Tap "MANAGE STORAGE", then "CLEAR ALL DATA" and confirm the action by taping "OK". Note that resetting the browser will eliminate all data stored within. This means that all saved logins/passwords, browsing history, non-default settings and other data will be deleted. You will also have to re-login into all websites as well.
Delete browsing history from the Firefox web browser:
Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "History" in the opened dropdown menu.
Scroll down until you see "Clear private data" and tap it. Select data types you want to remove and tap "CLEAR DATA".
Disable browser notifications in the Firefox web browser:
Visit the website that is delivering browser notifications, tap the icon displayed on the left of URL bar (the icon will not necessarily be a "Lock") and select "Edit Site Settings".
In the opened pop-up opt-in the "Notifications" option and tap "CLEAR".
Reset the Firefox web browser:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.
Scroll down until you find "Firefox" application, select it and tap "Storage" option.
Tap "CLEAR DATA" and confirm the action by taping "DELETE". Note that resetting the browser will eliminate all data stored within. This means that all saved logins/passwords, browsing history, non-default settings and other data will be deleted. You will also have to re-login into all websites as well.
Uninstall potentially unwanted and/or malicious applications:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see a potentially unwanted and/or malicious application, select it and tap "Uninstall". If, for some reason, you are unable to remove the selected app (e.g., you are prompted with an error message), you should try using the "Safe Mode".
Boot the Android device in "Safe Mode":
The "Safe Mode" in Android operating system temporarily disables all third-party applications from running. Using this mode is a good way to diagnose and solve various issues (e.g., remove malicious applications that prevent users you from doing so when the device is running "normally").
Push the "Power" button and hold it until you see the "Power off" screen. Tap the "Power off" icon and hold it. After a few seconds the "Safe Mode" option will appear and you'll be able run it by restarting the device.
Check the battery usage of various applications:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Device maintenance" and tap it.
Tap "Battery" and check the usage of each application. Legitimate/genuine applications are designed to use as low energy as possible in order to provide the best user experience and to save power. Therefore, high battery usage may indicate that the application is malicious.
Check the data usage of various applications:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Connections" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see "Data usage" and select this option. As with battery, legitimate/genuine applications are designed to minimize data usage as much as possible. This means that huge data usage may indicate presence of malicious application. Note that some malicious applications might be designed to operate when the device is connected to wireless network only. For this reason, you should check both Mobile and Wi-Fi data usage.
If you find an application that uses a lot of data even though you never use it, then we strongly advise you to uninstall it as soon as possible.
Install the latest software updates:
Keeping the software up-to-date is a good practice when it comes to device safety. The device manufacturers are continually releasing various security patches and Android updates in order to fix errors and bugs that can be abused by cyber criminals. An outdated system is way more vulnerable, which is why you should always be sure that your device's software is up-to-date.
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Software update" and tap it.
Tap "Download updates manually" and check if there are any updates available. If so, install them immediately. We also recommend to enable the "Download updates automatically" option - it will enable the system to notify you once an update is released and/or install it automatically.
Reset the system to its default state:
Performing a "Factory Reset" is a good way to remove all unwanted applications, restore system's settings to default and clean the device in general. However, you must keep in mind that all data within the device will be deleted, including photos, video/audio files, phone numbers (stored within the device, not the SIM card), SMS messages, and so forth. In other words, the device will be restored to its primal state.
You can also restore the basic system settings and/or simply network settings as well.
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "About phone" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see "Reset" and tap it. Now choose the action you want to perform:
"Reset settings" - restore all system settings to default;
"Reset network settings" - restore all network-related settings to default;
"Factory data reset" - reset the entire system and completely delete all stored data;
Disable applications that have administrator privileges:
If a malicious application gets administrator-level privileges it can seriously damage the system. To keep the device as safe as possible you should always check what apps have such privileges and disable the ones that shouldn't.
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Lock screen and security" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see "Other security settings", tap it and then tap "Device admin apps".
Identify applications that should not have administrator privileges, tap them and then tap "DEACTIVATE".
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
My device is infected with Hydra malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?
No, you can remove it with an antivirus solution. However, in some cases, it is required to perform a factory reset.
What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?
It can encrypt data, slow down a device (or make it unusable), steal various sensitive information, manage files, and more. The damage caused by malware depends on its capabilities.
What is the purpose of Hydra malware?
This malware targets customers of the Commerzbank (a bank in Germany). It can create overlays on other apps (display its windows on legitimate apps), access and send SMS messages, perform calls, steal one-time passwords, screen lock PINs, and more.
How did Hydra infiltrate my device?
Hydra was distributed via the Google Play store. Now cybercriminals use third-party stores (like apkaio[.]com and apkcombo[.]com) to distribute it. It masquerades as a PDF document manager and possibly other apps.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and remove almost all known malware. It is important to mention that high-end malware can hide deep in the system. Thus, it cannot be detected without running a full system scan.
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