Simplocker Ransomware on Your Android? New App Fights Back. Simplelocker is a new ransomware program that encrypts your personal files and demands payment for the files' decryption keys. There is an additional threat that the decryption keys will be deleted if the user doesn't pay up. Fortunately, antivirus companies are starting to create software to combat Simplelocker. The developers behind Avast's Ransomware Removal app say it can not only remove the ransomware Trojan, but also unlock the encrypted files.
However, this brings up the issue of actually installing the app on the mobile device, since Simplelocker uses a pop-over notification to prevent user access. AVAST told Security Watch that Simplelocker victims should begin by visiting the Google Play website via their computer. They should use the same Google Play login from their mobile device on the site and search for the Avast Ransomware Removal app. Complete instructions are available on the Avast blog. Preventive Measures. Google Pulls 22 SMS Fraud Apps Off Android Market. Google has had to remove from the Android Market 22 so-called RuFraud malware applications which send automated messages to premium rate lines. The apps are the latest pieces of malicious software to be uploaded to the Android Market and come at a time when security experts are warning that malware developers are increasingly turning their attention to Google’s mobile operating system.
Don’t download Twilight According to mobile security firm Lookout, a batch of apps was uploaded to the market last week, disguised as horoscope apps which had hidden terms of service agreements indicating charges. The apps presented users with a single option to continue, which was seen as an acceptance of the premium charge. Lookout said that there had been numerous instances of premium SMS toll fraud apps in the last few months which affected users in a number of European countries, including the UK, but not North America, as the SMS code is generated by the users SIM card. Security Fears. Google Issues Android Security Patch, After Attacks. Google has removed over 50 malicious apps from its Android Market and issued a security patch, after eventually admitting multiple malware attacks that compromised a number of Android-powered handsets last week. According to the company, its Android team has also suspended the associated developer accounts and “remotely” deleted the infected apps from affected devices.
“This remote application removal feature is one of many security controls the Android team can use to help protect users from malicious applications,” wrote Android security engineer Rich Cannings on the company’s official mobile blog. Google believes the attackers were able to acquire only “device-specific” information – IMEI/IMSI, unique codes used to identify mobile devices, and the operating system version detail – but admitted other data could have been accessed.
Android Market Security Tool March 2011 The infected apps were said to have seen 50,000 to 200,000 downloads in four days. Android malware on the rise. Google Removes More Android Malware. Google has removed 10 more malware-bearing applications from the official Android Market, according to the security researcher who discovered the malicious code.
The incident is the latest headache for Google over its Android application market, which has had to be repeatedly cleared of malicious code. ‘Plankton’ Xuxian Jiang, an assistant professor of computer science at North Carolina State University, discovered a piece of Android spyware he called “Plankton” during the course of an Android research project. The malware harvests data from the phone, including bookmarks, bookmark history and the home page of the device’s built-in browser. All of the applications Jiang analysed claimed to be add-ons or cheats for the game “Angry Birds”. Unlike some previous malware Plankton does not attempt to gain root access to Android phones itself. Jiang said he found at least 10 applications on the Android Market from three different developers.
Stealthy design No security software. Study Finds Huge Rise In Android Malware. Google’s Android mobile operating system has become the top focus for malware programmers, according to a new study from Juniper Networks, which found a 400 percent increase in Android malware since the summer of 2010. The “Malicious Mobile Threats Report 2010/2011″ was compiled by the Juniper Networks Global Threat Center (GTC) research facility. It found that mobile devices have become the latest focus for malware writers, with Android the fastest-growing target. Lack of security software Juniper’s study found that, despite application downloads representing the main source of infections, the vast majority of smartphone users are not using antivirus software to scan downloads for malware.
The increase in security threats is a result of user disinterest in security, large numbers of downloads from unknown or unvetted sources and the absence of mobile device security software, according to Juniper. More advanced attacks Lost devices.