Lukas Stefanko

Lukas Stefanko

Malware Researcher


Education: Masters in Informatic Engineering of the Technical University in Kosice

Highlights of your career? Malware Researcher

Position and history at ESET? Joined ESET as a Malware Researcher in 2011

What malware do you hate the most? Adware and ransomware

Favorite activities? Gym, squash, reading

What is your golden rule for cyberspace? Be reasonably paranoid

Favorite computer game/activity? Elasto Mania


78 articles by Lukas Stefanko

New NGate variant hides in a trojanized NFC payment app

New NGate variant hides in a trojanized NFC payment app

New NGate variant hides in a trojanized NFC payment app

ESET researchers discover another iteration of NGate malware, this time possibly developed with the assistance of AI

Lukas Stefanko21 Apr 20269 min. read


PromptSpy ushers in the era of Android threats using GenAI

PromptSpy ushers in the era of Android threats using GenAI

PromptSpy ushers in the era of Android threats using GenAI

ESET researchers discover PromptSpy, the first known Android malware to abuse generative AI in its execution flow

Lukas Stefanko19 Feb 202613 min. read


Love? Actually: Fake dating app used as lure in targeted spyware campaign in Pakistan

Love? Actually: Fake dating app used as lure in targeted spyware campaign in Pakistan

Love? Actually: Fake dating app used as lure in targeted spyware campaign in Pakistan

ESET researchers discover an Android spyware campaign targeting users in Pakistan via romance scam tactics, revealing links to a broader spy operation

Lukas Stefanko28 Jan 20269 min. read


New spyware campaigns target privacy-conscious Android users in the UAE

New spyware campaigns target privacy-conscious Android users in the UAE

New spyware campaigns target privacy-conscious Android users in the UAE

ESET researchers have discovered campaigns distributing spyware disguised as Android Signal and ToTok apps, targeting users in the United Arab Emirates

Lukas Stefanko02 Oct 202512 min. read


NGate Android malware relays NFC traffic to steal cash

NGate Android malware relays NFC traffic to steal cash

NGate Android malware relays NFC traffic to steal cash

Android malware discovered by ESET Research relays NFC data from victims’ payment cards, via victims’ mobile phones, to the device of a perpetrator waiting at an ATM

Lukas Stefanko and Jakub Osmani22 Aug 202418 min. read


The tap-estry of threats targeting Hamster Kombat players

The tap-estry of threats targeting Hamster Kombat players

The tap-estry of threats targeting Hamster Kombat players

ESET researchers have discovered threats abusing the success of the Hamster Kombat clicker game

Lukas Stefanko and Peter Strýček23 Jul 202410 min. read


Cursed tapes: Exploiting the EvilVideo vulnerability on Telegram for Android

Cursed tapes: Exploiting the EvilVideo vulnerability on Telegram for Android

Cursed tapes: Exploiting the EvilVideo vulnerability on Telegram for Android

ESET researchers discovered a zero-day Telegram for Android exploit that allows sending malicious files disguised as videos

Lukas Stefanko22 Jul 20245 min. read


Arid Viper poisons Android apps with AridSpy

Arid Viper poisons Android apps with AridSpy

Arid Viper poisons Android apps with AridSpy

ESET researchers discovered Arid Viper espionage campaigns spreading trojanized apps to Android users in Egypt and Palestine

Lukas Stefanko13 Jun 202419 min. read


eXotic Visit campaign: Tracing the footprints of Virtual Invaders

eXotic Visit campaign: Tracing the footprints of Virtual Invaders

eXotic Visit campaign: Tracing the footprints of Virtual Invaders

ESET researchers uncovered the eXotic Visit espionage campaign that targets users mainly in India and Pakistan with seemingly innocuous apps

Lukas Stefanko10 Apr 202417 min. read