Archive for April, 2012

Android Trojan Uses Motion Sensors to Guess PINs

New technologies bring new hacking methods. Smartphones with their touchscreens are no exception and moreover, Android running on those devices is not a secure platform. Well, everything is not that bad but it might get worse. My concern is explained by a new Trojan developed at Penn State with the help of IBM.

This Android virus can track input made on any phone via motion sensors. Having infected the device Trojan uses the phone’s motion sensors to find out what keys are pressed. But this virus doesn’t work like keyloggers. As you know, the latter scans the entered data, while this Android Trojan uses the motion sensor and the virtual keyboard map to determine which key has been pressed.

If it is out, users will have a good reason to be concerned about as it, obviously, will threaten their phone’s security. According to researchers, Android Trojan can guess a 4 digit pin 100% of the time, and a 6 digit pin 80% of the time. No doubt researchers have made it to prove Android is not so secure as it seems, and they have no wish to out the virus but there can always appear someone and duplicate it.

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April 27, 2012 | 0 Comments More

Android Malware Spreads via Text Messages

Every day we learn about a new malware on Android market. This time we are dealing with a new malware called UpdtBot. This virus disguises itself as a system update and spreads via text messages containing a link to the malicious application file.

The UpdtBot was discovered by NQ Mobile Security Research Center, in collaboration with the leading cyber security expert Dr. Xuxian Jiang at North Carolina State University. They have alerted Android users to be careful when downloading and installing apps and have recommended them to do it from trusted sources like Google Play, Amazon AppStore or GetJar.

This malware can really be dangerous as the installed UpdtBot registers a remote Command and Control (C&C) server, which makes the infected device send text messages, make calls and download and even install apps.

At the moment there are almost 160.000 Android devices infected by this malware, so download some anti-malware apps and check whether you are a “member of the club” or not. Afterwards, we’d highly appreciate your feedback in this regard.

April 17, 2012 | 0 Comments More

Infected Angry Birds Space Available in Google Play. Be Careful!

The Angry Birds Space is the most popular game nowadays. But installing it on an Android device is not that secure. The original version of the game coming from Rovio is what you need but do you always check the developer when downloading an app or a game from Google Play? I doubt that because the charm of getting this game as soon as possible blinds. As a result, when you mash the download button, you can download not only the game but also a couple of JPEG files associated with the game hiding malware inside.

The most recent hacker op forces the infected phone to make calls to premium numbers owned by the hackers. But they can send out malware via your SMS messages. Thus all your personal data, calls and texts are under in danger caused by your impatience to download the latest version of Angry Birds.

So the only thing to avoid malware is to check the developer. If you are not that familiar with Android or smartphones at all, you can ask whether there is any method to check the apps and games itself. Of course, Google has announced something like that dubbed as Bouncer, which is intended to analyze new apps to keep out malware, spyware and trojan horses. But it turns out Bouncer like everything else in this world can fail to see the malware and allow it to enter your phone. So do everything yourself.

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April 15, 2012 | 0 Comments More

Save Any Format Gmail Attachment

If you own an Android-powered device and use Gmail as your main email service, you must be having no inconvenience. But it’s not true, especially when it comes to downloading .zip files. So we must have a third-party developer as a help. Luckily, there are such developers.

Poofinc Studios has developed a similar app dubbed Gmail Attachment Download. As the naming suggests, the app allows users to download any file at any extension and save it in any storage — in the internal memory or the SD card.

You won’t find any app icon or a bunch of bloat. On the contrary, users can activate it by pressing the view, preview or install button of an attachment, and then select the app.

Gmail Attachment Download app is ad-supported, works with other emails and is available for free. So if you are interested in the app, you can download it from Google Play.

April 3, 2012 | 0 Comments More