German financial authorities on Monday warned consumers that the malware known as "Godfather" has been attacking some 400 banking and cryptocurrency apps worldwide, "including those of providers within Germany."

The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) said in a statement on Monday that it was unclear how the malware infected consumers' devices, but it was currently recording user input on banking and crypto apps.

Though BaFin has yet to ascertain how the software gets onto electrical apparatus, the authority does know that the "Godfather" Trojan tries to trick people into entering their login details on simulations of official banking apps. It can then acquire the login details and transmit them to cyber criminals.

The malware also sends push notifications to obtain two-factor authentication codes. With these data, the individuals or teams of people who use technology to commit malicious activities may be able to access consumers' accounts and wallets, BaFin said.

Citizens offered security advice

In a video from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), consumers have been offered advice on how to safely use apps on mobile devices.

Information on the malware is also available on the BSI website.

Warnings on "Godfather" first emerged in December, with reports suggesting that the malware was affecting Android devices, targeting users across 16 countries.

Cybersecurity experts from Group-IB reportedly first discovered the "Godfather" in 2021, but the Trojan has undergone significant code upgrades since then, resulting in a spike in activity in recent months.

jsi/msh (Reuters)