The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has issued a significant warning regarding a sophisticated new scam propagating on Telegram. Malefactors are actively exploiting a malicious program known as the Mamont Trojan, cleverly disguising it as legitimate lists of individuals reported missing in the special military operation zone.
In an official statement, the ministry urged the public: “Dear Telegram users, please exercise extreme caution! Scammers persist in deploying the Mamont Trojan, camouflaging it as vital lists of those missing in the SMO zone.”
These fraudsters meticulously craft channels that bear a striking visual resemblance to official support groups dedicated to assisting military families. Within these deceptive channels, they regularly disseminate what appears to be crucial information about missing personnel, including their photographs and sensitive PDF and Excel files containing personal data. Subsequently, the same compromised communities are used to distribute harmful APK files (Android application installation archives) embedded with the Mamont banking Trojan, specifically designed to target Android operating systems.
Cyber police officials further elaborated that this insidious malware grants attackers comprehensive control over the victim`s device. This extensive control permits them to discreetly collect personal information, intercept and send SMS messages, gain unauthorized access to user files, call histories, contact lists, and even infiltrate banking and messaging applications.
To bolster personal cybersecurity, the MIA strongly advises Telegram users to disable the automatic file download feature within the application settings. Furthermore, they emphasize the critical importance of diligently verifying the format and authenticity of any documents before opening them.
