Understanding malware

Hackers will use many different techniques to invade your online privacy and potentially damage and steal your data. Three of the most common threats are viruses, Trojans and spyware.

• Viruses are computer programmes that steal personal information, take over your PC, or pop up unwanted adverts. They can even use your computer to attack other people's computers.
• A Trojan horse is a type of virus that is a computer programme masquerading as another programme. As the name suggests, the programme looks innocent, but opening it could damage or erase your files.
• Spyware is software that monitors and records your internet behaviour without your knowledge or consent. Some spyware may even redirect your internet session through its own server, allowing criminals to potentially extract your personal credentials such as your username, password and credit card numbers.

• To avoid Trojans, be very cautious when downloading files.
  Always make sure the files are from a reputable source. Never open an attachment and do not click embedded links in e-mails, SMS or social media from people you don’t know and trust.
• Keep your software updated.
  Online criminals quickly find vulnerable areas in operating systems (most commonly Microsoft Windows) and other programmes (Adobe, Java, etc). Software manufacturers release regular updates that fix these security flaws.
• Install firewalls and anti-virus software to counter viruses and spyware.
  Most computers come with personal firewalls – known as software firewalls – pre-installed. For additional security, you can download an additional stand-alone firewall, known as a hardware firewall. For anti-virus and anti-spyware software, there are many kinds available in the market. Always use a reputable brand and be mindful of fake products.
• Turn off accessibility settings for the third-party apps
  Accessibility services help users with disabilities or users who may find it hard to interact with the device fully. These services, such as screen readers and text-to-speech, promote inclusion. They need extensive permissions to apps to read the text on the screen or record characters typed with the keyboard on the device.
  But fraudsters can exploit these services to record confidential data such as your mobile banking credentials. This could lead to your financial information being leaked.

From 28 May 2024 onwards, we'll roll out a new safety measure to the Android version of the HSBC Malaysia Mobile Banking app. This will help us better protect you from potential fraud due to malware.

So if you’ve turned on accessibility permissions for certain apps on your Android device, you won't be able to use the HSBC Malaysia Mobile Banking app. You'll get an alert about this before the app closes. To open the app and continue using it, you must turn off the accessibility permissions for those apps and / or uninstall them.

Read more on malware scams.