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Zero Day

Ryan Naraine, Emil Protalinski and Dancho Danchev

Google Android Market malware problem escalates

By | July 12, 2011, 11:33am PDT

Summary: Researchers at Lookout Mobile Security have again nabbed variants of the DroidDream malware family in the Android Market.

Google’s inability to keep malware-laden apps out of the Android Market continues to be a source of embarrassment for the fast-growing mobile operating system.

Researchers at Lookout Mobile Security have again nabbed variants of the DroidDream malware family in the Android Market. This time, the company found four different Android apps published by a developer named “Mobnet.”

[ SEE: Malware sneaks by Google's Android Market gatekeepers ]

The infected applications include:follow Ryan Naraine on twitter

  • Quick FallDown
  • Scientific Calculator
  • Bubble Buster
  • Best Compass & Leveler Note: There is legitimate application that has a package name similar to that of Best Compass & Leveler.  The Trojanized application capitalizes the package name (i.e. com.gb.CompassLeveler), while the legitimate application does not (i.e. com.gb.compassleveler).
According to Lookout, the malware was available in the Android Market for a short period of time so the number of downloads was limited to 1000 – 5000.
Google has since removed the malicious apps but it is clear the company needs to implement some rudimentary malware checks before an app is made available in the Android Market.

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Topics

Ryan Naraine is a journalist and social media enthusiast specializing in Internet and computer security issues.

Disclosure

Ryan Naraine

The most important disclosure is of my employment with Kaspersky Lab as a member of the global research and analysis team. Kaspersky Lab is a global company specializing in anti-malware and secure content management technologies. I do not own stocks or other investments in any technology company.

Biography

Ryan Naraine

Ryan Naraine is a journalist and social media enthusiast specializing in Internet and computer security issues. He is currently security evangelist at Kaspersky Lab, an anti-malware company with operations around the globe. He is taking a leadership role in developing the company's online community initiative around secure content management technologies.

Prior to joining Kaspersky Lab, Ryan was Editor-at-Large/Security at eWEEK, leading the magazine's and Web site's coverage of Internet and computer security issues and managing the popular SecurityWatch blog, covering the daily threats, vulnerabilities and IT security technologies. He also covered IT security, hacker attacks and secure content management topics for Jupiter Media's internetnetnews.com.

Ryan can be reached at naraine SHIFT 2 gmail.com. For daily updates on Ryan's activities, follow him on Twitter.

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RE: Google Android Market malware problem escalates
FAULKNE 13th Oct
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to prevent it...
0 Votes
+ -
@Johnny Vegas

When they release a tablet, Amazon's curated Market is just another reason the Amazon tablet (if/when it appears) will not be a "Google" branded device with Google services.
Good luck to you and than you. replica watches
They are google, why would they care. Your information to sell to the highest bidder, Do No Harm, yeah right.
I suspect that they don't want the responsibility. From what I've read, many Android users blame the users.

I think that the platform bears some responsibility, no different than steps take to try to make Windows more secure.
0 Votes
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don't worry that's just FUD
Linux Geek 12th Jul
peddled by Apple and M$ against their nemesis.
0 Votes
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@Linux Geek

com.gb.CompassLeveler (trojanized)
OR
com.gb.compassleveler (legitimate)

What's an ordinary user to do? This is TOO easy for the miscreants. Why on earth (or anywhere else in Google's mapped universe) hasn't Google implemented case-insensitive naming for apps in the Android Market. At least Windows, being case-insensitive, would force the miscreants to misspell, or add characters to, the name of the trojanized app. For example, com.gb.compassleveleripwnu.
@Rabid Howler Monkey
because only lame and ignorant people don't know that in Linux casing is important unlike windoze. They get what they deserve!
One would think that obtaining software from the marketplace, as opposed to someone's site, would be safe.
I like the Amazon Market. Less apps but better quality. Also the free paid app a day thing is cool. I hope to see other companies step up and create app stores. Competition drives innovation and benefits consumers. Walled gardens only benefit the one building the wall.
No further comments! Sent from my virus, malware free Windows phone.
Might I just add, the people who installed the so called "infected apps" gave the application permission to "Allow an application to send SMS messages, (which might cost you money)".
If you give a "Scientific Calculator" permission to send SMS's, i'm sorry more fool you.
0 Votes
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Closed systems...
qjames 27th Jul
...don't look so bad now. If control means safety then what is wrong with companies like Apple keeping control.
0 Votes
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RE: Google Android Market malware problem escalates
MrElectrifyer Updated - 1st Aug
@qjames
The problem is Apple's method of control is far to much. Their control limits the capabilities of the device way below that of a dumb phone in some scenarios.

A clear example is simply the inability to create groups to organize your contacts. That's available on majority of dumb phones from the 1980s shocked

iPhone 3GS user hear wink
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Good day to confirm this comment I would appreciate T h e b e s t o f Z D N e t d e l i v e r e d your website very nice to everyone Yes, Oracle is the only one with shared-disk architecture, but that is there advantage. It means you can add or remove nodes and the database lives on. In a shared nothing architecture, if you lose a node, you lose the system. I'm sure Oracle appreciates EMC highlighting their advantage.I also desire to signal in your RSS feeds. Thank you as soon as once again and maintain up the great operate Awesome post! Thank you very much || thanks for nice content this is really benefit to me.

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