NFCGate Turns Smartphones into Hacker Wallets
Over the past month, cyberattacks using the NFCGate malware have surged by 80%. The average unauthorized transaction now reaches 200,000 rubles, with total financial losses exceeding 150 million rubles.
In Russia alone, more than 114,000 Android devices have been infected with this malicious software. Cybercriminals disguise the malware as banking apps, government services, mobile operators, and even antivirus programs to deceive users into installing it.
The attack exploits NFC data interception from bank cards via an infected application. Once installed, the malware covertly captures incoming SMS messages and transmits card details to hackers whenever the card is brought near the device’s NFC chip.