The 707
Poppy Bank warns of ‘Godfather’ malware “I’m gonna make him an app he can’t refuse…”
While movie gangster Vito Corleone never had to navigate cybersecurity threats, he was still careful about how he conducted his banking. And the rest of us should be, too. Which is why Santa Rosa-based Poppy Bank last month issued a “critical cybersecurity alert” about the so-called “Godfather Malware,” a newly evolving threat targeting mobile banking users. The malware keys in on mobile apps—particularly those on Android devices—in an effort to steal login information from users of financial apps. “Its tactics are deceptive, its design sophisticated and its reach widespread,” Poppy Bank officials described in a press release about the malware. Poppy officials compared it to a Trojan Horse—it appears as a legitimate app from your personal bank, but, once installed, “it overlays a fake login screen on top of a real banking app, tricking users into entering their credentials.” Once installed, the app can record keystrokes, bypass two-factor authentication, intercept text messages and steal contact and account information. “Victims download it unknowingly by installing fake versions of trusted apps from third-party app stores, fake updates or phishing links,” Poppy’s announcement said.
The announcement highlighted various ways to protect devices and accounts, including: • Download apps exclusively from official sources like the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. • Avoid clicking on suspicious links, especially from unsolicited emails or text messages. • Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for added protection.
• Update your phone’s operating system and apps regularly to patch known vulnerabilities. • Use strong and unique passwords for each account.— JW
SDC goes back to the drawing board The County of Sonoma is pressing re-set on the EIR for the Sonoma Developmental Center. Revisions to the environmental impact report for Eldridge Renewal LLC’s redevelopment of the more than 900-acre Sonoma Valley property began last month, focusing on the 160-acre core campus that, until the state closed the facility in 2018, had served the developmentally disabled for more than a century. Eldridge Renewal’s proposal includes 990 residential units (of which 124 are affordable); 400,000 square feet of commercial, institutional and retail space, including a 130-room hotel; adaptive reuse of existing structures; new and upgraded infrastructure; and multiple parks and greenways connecting to the surrounding 750 acres of open space. An initial Specific Plan and EIR were adopted by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in 2022. But a court ruling in 2024 invalidated those approvals and, in turn, the Board of Supervisors voided certification of the EIR and set aside the Specific Plan. The board also approved $914,000 for Dyett and Bhatia, the consulting firm that prepared the initial Plan and EIR, to revise the plan and report and include review of the development application. A Notice of Preparation of the EIR is anticipated to be published this fall, with public scoping sessions scheduled soon after. Comments are welcome at SDC@sonomacounty.gov .— NBb staff
County homeless-housing program a boon for landlords Sonoma Valley landlords have a new reason to house the homeless: Cold, hard cash. HomeFirst, a homeless-services nonprofit, and the Sonoma County Department of Health Services are launching the Rapid Rehousing Program in the Valley of the Moon, a region where about 100 people are currently experiencing homelessness, according to a county announcement. The program is designed to incentivize landlords to rent their units to unhoused community members. Sonoma Valley landlords could receive up to $1,000 in financial incentives if they rent their units to unhoused people enrolled in the program. The program also offers tenant mediation and payment for unexpected property damage. Meanwhile, renters in the program receive help finding a rental unit, filling out applications and moving in. They also receive financial assistance with monthly rents and one-time security deposits. In its first year, the program is expected to place around 13 households, totaling approximately 20 people, in rental housing in the Sonoma Valley. 1st District Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo, who represents the Sonoma Valley, said the program will offer “a direct path to [housing] stability.” “I’m especially grateful to the landlords who are stepping up as partners in this effort; their participation is essential,” Hermosillo said. Interested landlords can reach out to bianca.rojas@homefirstscc.org for more information.— JW
12 NorthBaybiz
September 2025
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