Menace actors are benefiting from the large reputation of the Hamster Kombat sport, concentrating on gamers with faux Android and Home windows software program that set up spyware and adware and information-stealing malware.
Hamster Kombat is a clicker cell sport for Android the place gamers earn fictional forex by finishing easy duties, primarily by tapping the display screen.
Launched in March 2024, the sport has already garnered important curiosity as a result of potential to earn a brand new TON-based crypto token tied to it, scheduled to be launched later this yr.
Hamster Kombat is Telegram-based, requiring gamers to affix its channel on Telegram, scan a QR code offered by a bot, after which launch an internet app on their Android units to play it.
The sport has seen huge development since its launch, with over 250 million gamers and 53 million customers on it is Telegram channel.
Supply: BleepingComputer
Concentrating on the “hamsters”
Though a clone app on Google Play named ‘Hamster Kombat – Earn Crypto,’ the real mission is not obtainable on any official channels however Telegram, making these inquisitive about becoming a member of straightforward prey for cybercriminals and scammers.
ESET has discovered a number of circumstances the place risk actors use the Hamster Kombat sport as bait, even extending to different platforms past Android, like Home windows.
The primary threat lies in Telegram, the place numerous Hamster-branded channels distribute Android malware to customers looking for the official channel.
ESET highlights a channel named ‘HAMSTER EASY’ that distributes the Ratel Android spyware and adware as an APK file (‘Hamster.apk’) that doesn’t comprise any reputable performance.
Supply: ESET
Ratel can intercept SMS and system notifications, nevertheless it’s used primarily to subscribe the sufferer to premium providers, from which the malware operators get a reduce.
The malware hides notifications from 200 apps, so the sufferer by no means realizes they’ve subscribed to varied premium providers.
One other malicious marketing campaign makes use of faux web sites like ‘hamsterkombat-ua.professional’ and ‘hamsterkombat-win.professional’ that declare to supply the sport however as a substitute redirect guests to ads to allow them to generate cash.
Supply: ESET
ESET notes that Hamster Kombat-branded scams additionally goal Home windows customers, with Lumma Stealer being distributed by malicious GitHub repositories claiming to supply farming bots for the cryptocurrency sport.
“The GitHub repositories we discovered both had the malware obtainable immediately within the launch recordsdata, or contained hyperlinks to obtain it from exterior file-sharing providers,” reads ESET’s report.
“We recognized three completely different variations of Lumma Stealer cryptors lurking throughout the repositories: C++ purposes, Go purposes, and Python purposes.”
Of the three, the Python model was ready with higher care, even that includes a graphical installer to additional the deception till the top of the malware set up course of.
Supply: ESET
Word of warning
In the event you’re within the Hamster Kombat mission, you need to get it straight from its official channel on Telegram or go to the mission’s web site.
Nevertheless, it needs to be famous that even the real sport itself has not been scrutinized for its safety, as it’s not on Google Play or the App Retailer. The mission’s whitepaper hasn’t been printed but, and the token launch guarantees stay unfulfilled.
It must also be famous that the clone app on Google Play has a number of studies claiming that it scams customers asking for withdrawal charges and by no means performs the cash withdrawal.
Folks ought to deal with any Hamster Kombat copycat apps distributed through any platform or methodology with mistrust, as even when not all comprise malware, they’re virtually undoubtedly scams.
Decrypt.co has compiled an inventory of cryptocurrency gaming initiatives that launched tokens in 2024 and which have a practical system in place, so should you’re on this idea, it’s possible you’ll wish to take into account investing your time on these as a substitute.
