How to eliminate Ajina malware from Android devices
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Ajina?
Ajina is a banking Trojan targeting Android users. It is known for stealing financial information and two-factor authentication (2FA) messages. Ajina is distributed by disguising it as legitimate banking and other apps. Cybercriminals behind Ajina have been observed targeting users in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
Ajina malware overview
Once a device is infected with Ajina, the malware connects to a remote server (C2) and requests the victim to allow access to SMS messages, phone number details, cellular network information, and some other data. Ajina has the ability to collect SIM card details, a list of financial apps installed on the device, and SMS messages.
It sends the harvested data to a remote server. New versions of Ajina can deploy phishing pages to steal banking credentials. In addition, they can access call logs and contact lists, while exploiting Android's accessibility services to block uninstallation attempts and gain further permissions.
With Ajina, threat actors could gain access to victims' bank accounts and perform unauthorized transactions and obtain data that could be used for identity theft, phishing schemes, or sold on the dark web. Overall, victims may experience financial loss, privacy breaches, and other issues.
The malware’s ability to prevent uninstallation and grant itself additional permissions can make the device vulnerable to further attacks or additional malware infections.
| Name | Ajina banking Trojan |
| Threat Type | Android malware, malicious application, unwanted application. |
| Detection Names | Avast-Mobile (Android:Evo-gen [Trj]), Combo Cleaner (Android.Trojan.Banker.AKS), ESET-NOD32 (Android/Spy.Banker.CIO), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Mamont.am), 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 | Telegram, messages, deceptive application, social engineering. |
| 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. |
Conclusion
Ajina is a type of malware that poses a serious threat by targeting sensitive financial and personal data, leading to potential financial loss, identity theft, and a breach of privacy. Its evolving capabilities, including phishing and exploitation of Android’s accessibility services, make it a highly dangerous tool for cybercriminals.
Some examples of other Android malware are SpyAgent, EagleSpy, and Rocinante.
How did Ajina infiltrate my device?
Threat actors distribute Ajina by leveraging Telegram. They distribute malicious files disguised as legitimate banking, government, or utility apps. They use multiple Telegram accounts, spamming regional community chats with malware-laden messages, links, and file attachments, often disguised as giveaways or promotions.
Cybercriminamls craft messages that align with local interests and take advantage of trusted services, making it more likely that users will download the malicious files and unknowingly compromise their devices.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Always read reviews and check app ratings before downloading them. Use official app stores or websites to download apps and files. Do not trust various offers and other pop-ups, links, and buttons on shady websites, and do not permit pages of this kind to show notifications. Regularly update the operating system (and installed apps).
Do not open links or files in suspicious messages or emails. Use a reputable security tool and scan your device for threats regularly.
Ajina malware asking for permissions to managed phone calls and SMS messages:
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 Ajina malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?
Formatting can remove malware, but it also removes all data stored on it. It is advisable to use trusted antivirus or anti-malware tools to detect and remove Ajina.
What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?
Malware can lead to significant financial loss and (or) identity theft, compromise personal privacy, disrupt device functionality and overall system security, and other issues.
What is the purpose of Ajina malware?
Ajina malware primarily aims to steal financial information and personal data by disguising itself as legitimate apps, deploying phishing pages, and exploiting device permissions.
How did Ajina malware infiltrate my device?
Ajina malware likely infiltrated your device through deceptive methods such as phishing messages or links shared via messaging platforms like Telegram. It may have been disguised as a legitimate app or service, tricking you into downloading and installing it.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and remove malware. This tool can detect nearly all known malware. Sophisticated malware often hides deeply within the system, so performing a full system scan is necessary to ensure complete removal.
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