New Trojan Targets Androids, But Experts Warns of Other Risks
What seemed like a happy marriage between Google and Android may be under attack by an outside force driven by “a new Trojan aimed at hijacking banking credentials from users of Google’s Android mobile device.” For example, the SpyEye Trojan known as SpitMo lured users to phony apps. After successfully installing the apps, users’ bank account information are stolen, and then financial transactions are directed by text messages. The world of mobile security has witnessed some assaults lately from all sides. According to Google officials, device-specific information of its Android users was hacked in March of this year. The attackers were able to publish numerous malicious apps on Google’s Android Market causing users some major concerns. Google down played it by saying that the company took steps to protect those users who download malicious application to prevent attackers from accessing other data.
Then, in September the hackers hit Android users again. This time Google blamed it on open-source apps. More specifically, it claimed that users browsing and texting behavior – social engineering - led to the mobile security compromise. Granted, the hackers may have relied on social engineering as their vehicle of operation, but is the users’ subscription and apps downloading fees not supposed to be used to create and build robust protection to shield users against such vulnerability attacks? Google says “it supports its open-source environment.” Of course, it would, because open-source drives the Android Market. It was indeed a wise move on Google’s part not to comment about the September attack except provide some general measures it has taken to protect the integrity of its mobile software, platform and apps. Technically, Google is protecting its image.
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