Man-in-the-Disk: A new and dangerous way to hack Android
Android is a good operating system whose developers truly care about security, but with so many OS versions and applications, keeping an eye on all of them is a tall order. Therefore, new ways to circumvent the built-in security mechanisms surface fairly often. The latest way to hack Android is called “Man-in-the-Disk,” and that is…
Do you need a paid antivirus for Android?
Many people think that Android devices do not need an antivirus solution at all, but countless kinds of malware exist for the mobile OS, some on official stores such as Google Play. In other words, antivirus software could actually come in very handy. So, which one should you choose? Which mobile antivirus? Of course, we…
Google Fixes Critical Android Vulnerabilities
Google this week released its July 2018 set of Android patches to address tens of vulnerabilities in the mobile operating system, including several rated as Critical. The Internet giant addressed 11 vulnerabilities as part of the 2018-07-01 security patch level, including three rated Critical and 8 High risk bugs. The issues impact framework, media framework,…
Secure Element — securing contactless payments in smartphones
Modern smartphones have successfully combined the functionality of a phone, camera, music player, public transit pass, and even a wallet for many years now. Naturally, this makes you wonder about the security of the data they store. Let’s figure out how well smartphones protect users’ most valuable information and how their main security mechanism — a…
Malicious Apps Persistently Appearing on Google Play and Using Google Icons
Seven apps have been discovered reappearing on the Play store under a different name and publisher even after these have been reported. The Google Play app store has a reputation as the safest place online to get Android apps, and Google does a good job of advising users to limit exposure to malware and other…
New targeted surveillance spyware found on Google Play
A new targeted surveillance app has been found and booted from Google Play. The app, named Dardesh, posed as a chat application and acted as a downloader for a second app that could spy on users. The Dardesh app was spotted and analyzed by Lookout researchers, who dubbed the malware family Desert Scorpion. How was…
3 Million New Android Malware Samples Discovered in 2017
More than 3 million new malware samples targeting the Android operating system were discovered in 2017, marking a slight decrease from the previous year, G Data reports. The security firm counted 3,002,482 new Android malware samples during 2017, at an average of 8,225 per day, or 343 new malware samples every hour. Although the number…
Infosec expert viewpoint: Google Play malware
Researchers routinely discover a variety of malicious apps on Google Play, some of which have been downloaded and installed on millions of devices worldwide. Here’s what infosec experts think about the security of Google Play, what they think Google should do better, and what users can do in order to protect themselves from malicious apps…
‘Congratulations, you won’ Malware Scam Crosses Over to Android
“Congratulations, you won!” would normally be a welcome phrase to see when you go online, instantly making you think of an all-expenses-paid vacation someplace exotic, or perhaps a substantial amount to add a few more zeroes to your bank account. If only it weren’t a favorite phrase among scammers too, you could actually already be on…
An analysis of 120 mobile app stores uncovers plethora of malicious apps
RiskIQ analyzed 120 mobile app stores and more than 2 billion daily scanned resources. In listing and analyzing the app stores hosting the most malicious mobile apps and the most prolific developers of malicious apps, their Q3 mobile threat landscape report documents an increase in blacklisted apps over Q2, as well as the continued issues…