Articles Tagged “Malware”
Why you should always upgrade to the latest version of Adobe Flash Player
by Gary Sims on May 18, 2012 0 Comments">0
It is likely that you have some Adobe software installed on your PC or Mac. It could be Adobe Acrobat Reader, it could be Adobe Air, or it could be Adobe Flash Player. Flash is so popular that Google ships it as a built-in plugin for its Chrome web browser. It is also likely that you have some Adobe software on your Android device, and it would be one (or all) of the same three listed above. All very nice – you can view PDF files on your PC and on your mobile device, you can use Flash on your PC and on your Android phone. But there …
Number of malicious Android apps grows by 2200% year over year
by Gary Sims on May 16, 2012 9 Comments">9
You might be asking yourself if you read the headline to this post correctly. A 2200% growth in the number of malicious Android apps, can that be right? Unfortunately it is. According to the Mobile Threat Report Q1 2012 (PDF) released by security company F-Secure, the number of malicious Android application package files (APKs) they received in the first three months of the year grew from 139 in 2011 to 3063 for the same period in 2012. Similarly, in 2011 security researchers discovered 10 new families of Android malware. Move forward twelve months, and that number has grown nearly four-fold with 37 new families and variants discovered …
ESET releases Mobile Security for Android – but are users ready to pay the $10?
by Gary Sims on May 07, 2012 4 Comments">4
ESET has released a new security product for Android that includes anti-malware protection, SMS/MMS antispam, call blocking, and anti-theft features, to help you locate or block your device if it becomes lost or gets stolen. Sounds impressive, but there is a small problem – the price. The app costs $9.99, which is a lot for a mobile app. However there is a 30 day trial so you can try the app before parting with your money! The anti-theft features, which are reminiscent of Apple’s “Find My iPhone” service, are comprehensive, including support for SMS commands that can be sent to your mobile to …
Compromised websites used to serve drive-by Android malware
by Gary Sims on May 03, 2012 2 Comments">2
In a new twist in the malware for Android story, the mobile security company Lookout has released details of a new Android malware which automatically starts downloading to the victim’s device when they visit an infected web page. Known as a “drive-by download” the malware app starts to download without the user’s permission and because it claims to be a system update it is likely that unsuspecting users will happily install it. For a website to serve up the NotCompatible malware, as it has been dubbed, it needs to have been previously compromised by a hacker who adds some HTML to the …
5,000 new malicious Android apps found in first 3 months of 2012
by Gary Sims on Apr 20, 2012 3 Comments">3
At the end of last year, security pundits predicted that 2012 would see a continued raise in the number of malicious Android apps and it looks like those predictions are coming true. According to Trend Micro, over 5,000 new malicious Android apps were found in first three months of 2012. This really isn’t as shocking as it sounds, as Android usage is increasing, with more people using their phones or tablets to surf the web. As such, cyber criminals are increasing their efforts to target this huge Android user base. “One big reason for the popularity of apps is their ease …
Beware of fake Instagram app that contains malware
by Gary Sims on Apr 19, 2012 0 Comments">0
Instagram has been in the news a lot recently. It launched on Android only a few weeks ago and enjoyed over 1 million downloads on its first day on Google Play. Then Facebook decided to buy the 13 person company for $1 billion! Naturally, the Facebook purchase rocketed the app to even greater popularity with the acquisition being covered by the mainstream media. When a cyber criminal sees something popular, especially on a mobile device, it becomes a very tempting target and Instagram has been no different. A Russian group has created a fake Instagram web site which offers downloads of the …
Google removes 29 data stealing apps from Google Play
by Gary Sims on Apr 17, 2012 3 Comments">3
In its ongoing battle with malicious app writers, Google has removed 29 apps from Google Play that harvested email addresses and phone numbers and uploaded them to remote command servers. Symantec has so far identified 29 apps that targeted the Japanese market. All of the 29 apps share common code and it is believed that one group is behind all of the apps. The first app in the series appeared in Google Play in early February and was followed by a series of seemingly random apps, from a contact management app to a diet assistant app. However, the apps proved unpopular and did …
Beware of new Android malware claiming to be system upgrade
by Gary Sims on Apr 12, 2012 0 Comments">0
New malware, which targets Android users with the offer of a system upgrade, has been discovered. UpdtBot (Update Bot), as it is known, spreads via SMS messages but is really a malicious app which allows the device to be controlled by a remote Command and Control (C&C) server to send text messages, make phone calls, and download and install apps. The unsuspecting victims receive a SMS message which tells them that their system is at risk and they should install the latest Android update. But the link provided isn’t for a new firmware update but in fact for a malicious …
More devious Android malware discovered
by Gary Sims on Apr 09, 2012 4 Comments">4
Two recent bits of research have unearthed some nasty malware that target Android devices. The first is a variant of the DroidKungFu malware which uses known Android exploits to root the victim’s device and install itself without the user knowing. The second, known as TigerBot, differs from “traditional” malware in that it is controlled via SMS rather than from a command & control (C&C) server on the Internet. Both pieces of malware are most prevalent on alternative markets, which again underlines the need for caution when going outside of Google Play or the Amazon Appstore. DroidKungFu Discovered in the middle of last year, the original DroidKungFu …
3 ways your Android phone is vulnerable to hackers and how to defend yourself
by Gary Sims on Mar 23, 2012 3 Comments">3
The increasing pervasiveness of mobile devices means that they are being actively targeted by cyber criminals and malware writers. Security companies are seeing lots of activity in this area, and Android is firmly fixed as the largest target of malware peddlers. The result is that Android phones are vulnerable to attack, but nevertheless, there are things you can do to protect yourself. Most Android vulnerabilities can be managed and attacks avoided. Here is a list of three ways your Android phone is vulnerable and what you can do about it. 1. Text Messaging Text messages are ubiquitous and have a high read rate among users. They also …
Android malware steals bank credentials – Is mobile banking safe?
by Ankit Banerjee on Mar 17, 2012 3 Comments">3
Mobile banking has been steadily gaining popularity, as more and more consumers get access to smartphones with internet capabilities. Today, almost every major financial institution in the world provides their account holders with easy-to-use net and mobile banking systems. But, as with every other good thing out there, malicious intent is never far around the corner. Security concerns related to the use of mobile banking applications have been recently brought to the forefront. The latest Android malware found in the wild is proving to be one of the most dangerous. A new piece of malware was discovered by security researchers at …
Worried about your privacy? New ad-network detectors surface in Play Store
by Mike Andrici on Mar 14, 2012 1 Comments">1
Ads integrated into free Android apps are a necessary evil, as app developers need to live off something after all, even if they do offer the fruits of their labor for free on Google Play Store. At the opposite pole of an imaginary moral compass are the ads that show up in any other place than the app itself (such as ads in the notification bar, or even unwanted ad-related icons on the home screen), and ads that access your personal information to provide targeting information to advertisers. Surprisingly, up until a couple of weeks ago, Android users who were …
Report Uncovers Fake Android AntiVirus Apps
by Mike Andrici on Mar 06, 2012 10 Comments">10
A month ago, we were unpleasantly surprised to learn that a report from Juniper Networks Mobile Threat Center showed a 3,325 percent increase in Android malware over 2011. According to the report, Android malware samples increased from 11,138 in 2010 to 28,472 in 2011. And if that wasn’t enough bad news for you, a recent report from digital security firm F-Secure shows how Android malware is now dominating the mobile malware scene, as it overtook both Symbian malware and Pocket PC malware. As malware popped out, we’ve seen the Android Market being populated with more and more anti-malware apps, up …
Largest Android Malware Campaign Discovered
by Christine Torralba on Jan 28, 2012 5 Comments">5
If you downloaded something off the Android Market today, there is a chance that you are one of the 5 million users who have been duped by the largest-ever Android malware campaign. Symantec has dubbed this as the ‘Android.Counterclank’ and was found on 13 infected apps created by three different publishers. The titles of these infected apps include ‘Counter Strike Ground Force’ and ‘Sexy Girls Puzzle.’ Unfortunately of these infected apps were still found available on the market as of 3pm Friday. In an interview, Symantec’s Security Response Team Director, Kevin Haley said: “They don’t appear to be real publishers. …
How to Report Suspicious Apps in the Android Market
by Alvin Ybañez on Jan 24, 2012 0 Comments">0
Everyone believes the Android platform is more secure compared to other mobile platforms such as Windows Phone or Symbian. However, hackers can still find their way to penetrate a platform’s sturdy wall. Recently, a Trojan horse virus, which appeared as “harmless media player,” was discovered by a group of developers. Phones infected with this virus started sending spam messages to other mobile phone users. The DroidDream malware also hit a number of apps in the Android Market. These malware programs or viruses bring devastating effects, such as recording phone calls, stealing information, accessing confidential information, and making unauthorized purchases through …
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