While malware and ransomware aren't pain in the necks like their Windows counterparts, they still prove to be a serious concern, especially when money, trickery, and extortion are involved. Here are the latest types of Android ransomware and how to kill them off for good.

One of the most common methods that hackers and creators of malware and ransomware use is integrating the shady lines of codes inside a launcher. While it doesn't necessarily encrypt the important data like how these things plague the Windows OS, these mishaps ask for a random PIN instead.

Researchers from Symantec as reported by Softpedia indicates that most of the malware and ransomware designed for Android now lurks within the operating system's launcher apps. It disguises itself to be a third party launcher that the OS allows to run without any problem.

Once installed, these third party launchers automatically start when the device is restarted and due to their nature, Android has no way of telling an actual legit launcher from one that disguises itself.

The most common attack involves the malware asking for a random PIN, which the user wouldn't be able to guess. This prompts them a number to call for technical support, which asks for a huge amount of money to fix.

Unlike its Windows counterpart, the Android ransomware, which disguises itself as a launcher, can be fixed through a couple of steps. The first one is by pressing the Home Button. Through this, the user will be asked which launcher they prefer to use. If under a suspicion that a launcher is, in fact, a malware, simply uninstalling the launcher will do the trick.

If, for some reason, that the user cannot navigate through the menu any longer, a factory reset might be one solution to make sure to have every potential problem wiped out. However, this is one extreme measure that can be done with the cost of everything saved in the device.

Another way to get rid of the suspicious app is by installing an Android manager (as shown here on Lifehacker's post) on the users' desktop. This would allow theme to install, uninstall, and pretty much do any management with the smartphone without actually unlocking it.