Malware on Android - a myth or real threat

[Poke]

Yeah I have seen more of it here lately also had users get Apps and their devices end up getting wiped. But again like with many things you have to be smart on what you choose to put on your device to begin with. In the end the bug does not care what OS your running it just cares about how well your protected.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Malware-on-Android---a-myth-or-real-threat_id37322

 

[John Kotches]

Yeah I have seen more of it here lately also had users get Apps and their devices end up getting wiped. But again like with many things you have to be smart on what you choose to put on your device to begin with. In the end the bug does not care what OS your running it just cares about how well your protected.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Malware-on-Android---a-myth-or-real-threat_id37322

It's a nice graph -- but there's no context around the graph and no proof that the numbers have any validity. It's another set of claims without any backing evidence from a party that has a vested interest in the sale of anti-malware products.

And since you say "I have see more of it here lately", I'd like to know where "here" is, where the Apps came from and the specifics of the platform. Otherwise, this is FUD.




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[yourbeliefs]

It's probably a real threat, but it depends on what apps you are downloading. If you're downloading apps from the Play Store that are typically high rated and/or from top developers then I think that your chances of getting Malware are very slim. If you're downloading all sorts of stuff that doesn't have a lot of ratings, or you're doing a lot of sideloading of apps where quality can't be verified, then you're probably playing with fire.

 

[John Kotches]

It's probably a real threat, but it depends on what apps you are downloading. If you're downloading apps from the Play Store that are typically high rated and/or from top developers then I think that your chances of getting Malware are very slim. If you're downloading all sorts of stuff that doesn't have a lot of ratings, or you're doing a lot of sideloading of apps where quality can't be verified, then you're probably playing with fire.

I don't doubt that it's real -- whether these are in the wild is another matter entirely. Every platform running software is susceptible to possible malware. If one isn't using the Play Store or Amazon's App Store the risk is much greater.

Absent proof though, it is simply bluster.




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[Ramy]

I haven't seen any on my phone yet, but that doesn't mean it isn't out there or even on my phone without my knowledge. I try not to download a bunch of unknown apps.

 

[Hall]

If you're downloading all sorts of stuff that doesn't have a lot of ratings, or you're doing a lot of sideloading of apps where quality can't be verified, then you're probably playing with fire.

That's how stay safe. I've seen people "recommend" an app and when I find it in the store, it's got less than 10k downloads. I move along....

 

[LER]

The anti-malware stuff we use at IBM apparently finds some (according to our Malware defense guys), but I've not seen anything. modulo CarrierIQ before sprint nuked it.

 

[John Kotches]

The anti-malware stuff we use at IBM apparently finds some (according to our Malware defense guys), but I've not seen anything. modulo CarrierIQ before sprint nuked it.

That was part of the factory load, so there wasn't much that could be done unless you were rooted.

While it was IMO malware, users did nothing wrong to have it on their phones.

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[LER]

That was part of the factory load, so there wasn't much that could be done unless you were rooted.

While it was IMO malware, users did nothing wrong to have it on their phones.

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Agreed, but it was bad

I was happy to see Sprint nuke it.

 

[John Kotches]

Agreed, but it was bad

I was happy to see Sprint nuke it.

I was disappointed that multiple carriers embraced it.

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[nelson61]

From Kaspersky Lab this week. ---Mobile banking Trojans for Android devices, disguised as real banking apps, have made their way into the official Google Play store, where at least one was up until earlier this week. Once a user downloads and launches one of the , which are all variants of the CitMo Trojan, the app prompts users to enter their phone numbers. Then users are asked to enter a 5-digit code they receive via text message. Entering that code "authorizes" the app, which then hides text messages to and from financial institutions by creating two new files.

 

[John Kotches]

Nelson:

Can we get this from a source that isn't Kaspersky? I'm not saying it isn't real, but I'd like to see 3rd party sources rather than someone with a vested interest in a positive outcome.