New malware alert in Oman: Bank Muscat

“A new variant of malware has been invading android devices which steals personal information, card details and disrupts your smartphone’s performance and safety,” said a statement issued by Bank Muscat. “This could compromise all of your mail, messages, apps, storage and banking app information on your phone.

“Please be aware of what you download and kindly follow safe practices to ensure your personal details are safe,” added the statement.

Bank Muscat also provided further recommendations to ensure residents in Oman are not affected by malware. These include avoiding third-party app stores, denying administration rights to apps or programmes that are not trusted, to be cautious of strange requests for information, to close and uninstall any app that looks odd or asks for too many permissions, and to install anti-virus software to protect phones against major malware.