SMSZombie wraps self in nudie pics, slips into 500,000 Android devices
Trojan money-slurper aimed at China Mobile payment platform
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A strain of resilient Android Trojan has infected 500,000 devices, mainly in China.
SMSZombie is designed to exploit security shortcomings in the mobile payment system used by China Mobile to generate unauthorised payments. The malware also steals bank card numbers and money transfer receipt information, mobile security firm TrustGo explains.
The malware poses as "wallpaper" applications featuring racy titles and nude photos. Users who install these dodgy apps get infected. Disinfecting devices is a tricky process because the malware disables users' ability to simply delete it, TrustGo warns.
Security Week adds that the malware has already infected 500,000 smartphones and other devices running Android.
SMSZombie has been found on China’s largest mobile app marketplace, GFan. TrustGo's SMSZombie removal instructions can be found here. ®
COMMENTS
re: Looking at app permissions before installing
I do now, after seeing that the "Weather Channel" app wanted this permission:
DIRECTLY CALL PHONE NUMBERS
Allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention. Malicious apps may cause unexpected calls on your phone bill. Note that this doesn't allow the app to call emergency numbers.
Why on earth does a weather app need the ability to call phone numbers without me knowing about it? Hells to the no.
Morris worm
The Morris worm dates from 1988, and back then there probably wasn't a single Mac or Windows computer connected to the Internet. No matter how many security holes either would have had back then, without being on the Internet, worm propagation would be rather difficult...
The problem with Android security is that it relies on the app to only ask for the permissions it needs, and the user to know/care about what the various permissions mean instead of just blindly approving them. Anything that relies on the end user may be safe in the hands of the technically inclined, but that's only a single digit percentage of the population, leaving many many people for the bad guys to prey upon.
ANOTHER WEEK ANOTHER OPERATING SYSTEM FLAW
These flaws are dropping out of the sky like birds*it.
It's the ones that haven't been found yet that are dangerous.
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