It comes from China a “tribute” to WannaCry, if we can say so. It is a malware virus for Android phones, whose graphics immediately reminds of WannaCry, and which, unlike much Android malware, does not just stop access to the phone, but it actually encrypts the files on the device – though for technical reasons encryption is limited to files on external memory. The malware spreads disguised as a plugin for King of Glory, a very popular mobile game in China.
But if these hackers have demonstrated remarkable technical skills, their subterfuge skills leave much to be desired. The ransom required, in fact, amounted to a handful of dollars to be paid through legal gateways such as QQ, Alipay or WeChat. In addition to being easily traceable, in order to operate in China, any company must be ready to give the government information about its users. Probably to find the hackers police would have needed just a phone call.
As of today, WannaCry is the worst computer attack in history. It is a ransomware that has attacked more than 150 countries in the world and infected more than two hundred thousand computers in the first half of May 2017. Although ransomware is among the most difficult malware to eradicate, the advice is always the same: have a good antivirus and regularly backup your data.