Lukas Stefanko

Bio

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

Articles by author

ESET Research

StrongPity espionage campaign targeting Android users

ESET researchers identified an active StrongPity campaign distributing a trojanized version of the Android Telegram app, presented as the Shagle app – a video-chat service that has no app version

Lukas Stefanko 10 Jan 2023 - 11:30AM

ESET Research

Bahamut cybermercenary group targets Android users with fake VPN apps

Malicious apps used in this active campaign exfiltrate contacts, SMS messages, recorded phone calls, and even chat messages from apps such as Signal, Viber, and Telegram

Lukas Stefanko 23 Nov 2022 - 11:30AM

ESET Research

Domestic Kitten campaign spying on Iranian citizens with new FurBall malware

APT-C-50’s Domestic Kitten campaign continues, targeting Iranian citizens with a new version of the FurBall malware masquerading as an Android translation app

Lukas Stefanko 20 Oct 2022 - 11:30AM

Android

3 most dangerous types of Android malware

Here's what you should know about some of the nastiest mobile malware around – from malicious software that takes phones and data hostage to RATs that allow hackers to control devices remotely

Lukas Stefanko 4 May 2022 - 03:00PM

ESET Research

Fake e‑shops on the prowl for banking credentials using Android malware

ESET researchers analyzed three malicious applications targeting customers of eight Malaysian banks

Lukas Stefanko 6 Apr 2022 - 11:30AM

ESET Research

Crypto malware in patched wallets targeting Android and iOS devices

ESET Research uncovers a sophisticated scheme that distributes trojanized Android and iOS apps posing as popular cryptocurrency wallets

Lukas Stefanko 24 Mar 2022 - 01:30PM

ESET Research

BladeHawk group: Android espionage against Kurdish ethnic group

ESET researchers have investigated a mobile espionage campaign that targets the Kurdish ethnic group and has been active since at least March 2020

Lukas Stefanko 7 Sep 2021 - 02:30PM

Malware

Some URL shortener services distribute Android malware, including banking or SMS trojans

On iOS we have seen link shortener services pushing spam calendar files to victims’ devices.

Lukas Stefanko 20 Jul 2021 - 02:00PM

Mobile Security

Android stalkerware threatens victims further and exposes snoopers themselves

ESET research reveals that common Android stalkerware apps are riddled with vulnerabilities that further jeopardize victims and expose the privacy and security of the snoopers themselves

Lukas Stefanko 17 May 2021 - 11:30AM

Malware

APT‑C‑23 group evolves its Android spyware

ESET researchers uncover a new version of Android spyware used by the APT-C-23 threat group against targets in the Middle East

Lukas Stefanko 30 Sep 2020 - 11:30AM

Malware

Welcome Chat as a secure messaging app? Nothing could be further from the truth

ESET research uncovers a malicious operation that both spies on victims and leaks their data

Lukas Stefanko 14 Jul 2020 - 11:30AM

Malware

New ransomware posing as COVID‑19 tracing app targets Canada; ESET offers decryptor

ESET researchers dissect an Android app that masquerades as an official COVID-19 contact-tracing app and encrypts files on the victim's device

Lukas Stefanko 24 Jun 2020 - 12:36AM

Malware

Insidious Android malware gives up all malicious features but one to gain stealth

ESET researchers detect a new way of misusing Accessibility Service, the Achilles’ heel of Android security

Lukas Stefanko 22 May 2020 - 03:00PM

Malware

Breaking news? App promises news feeds, brings DDoS attacks instead

After being targeted by an Android DDoS app, ESET seized the opportunity to analyze the attack and to help put an end to it

Lukas Stefanko 11 May 2020 - 03:15PM

Malware

Tracking down the developer of Android adware affecting millions of users

ESET researchers discovered a year-long adware campaign on Google Play and tracked down its operator. The apps involved, installed eight million times, use several tricks for stealth and persistence.

Lukas Stefanko 24 Oct 2019 - 11:30AM

Malware

First‑of‑its‑kind spyware sneaks into Google Play

ESET analysis breaks down the first known spyware that is built on the AhMyth open-source espionage tool and has appeared on Google Play – twice

Lukas Stefanko 22 Aug 2019 - 11:30AM

Ransomware

Android ransomware is back

ESET researchers discover a new Android ransomware family that attempts to spread to victims’ contacts and deploys some unusual tricks

Lukas Stefanko 29 Jul 2019 - 04:35PM

Scams

With FaceApp in the spotlight, new scams emerge

ESET researchers discover fraudulent schemes piggybacking on the popularity of the face-modifying tool FaceApp, using a fake “Pro” version of the application as a lure

Lukas Stefanko 19 Jul 2019 - 11:30AM

Malware

Malware sidesteps Google permissions policy with new 2FA bypass technique

ESET analysis uncovers a novel technique bypassing SMS-based two-factor authentication while circumventing Google’s recent SMS permissions restrictions

Lukas Stefanko 17 Jun 2019 - 11:30AM

Malware