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Kapersky finds new Android and PC threat

Jonathan Riggall

Jonathan Riggall

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Kapersky has discovered malware Android apps that were designed to infect PCs. The apps, DroidCleaner and Superclean, have now been removed from the Google Play store, but not before being downloaded many times by Android users.
These malware apps were designed to steal data such as contacts, photos, SMS and the contents of memory cards on your smartphone. But they also execute a file on your PC when connected via USB. The Windows malware is able to record input from your microphone, encrypt and then then send it back to the attackers.

Here’s the extensive list of features that Kapersky found in these apps:

  • Sending SMS messages.
  • Enabling Wi-Fi.
  • Gathering information about the device.
  • Opening arbitrary links in a browser.
  • Uploading the SD card’s entire contents.
  • Uploading an arbitrary file (or folder) to the master’s server.
  • Uploading all SMS messages.
  • Deleting all SMS messages.
  • Uploading all the contacts/photos/coordinates from the device to the master.

As you can see, that’s an impressive array of features, and a good example of the bad that rogue apps can do. According to Kaspersky Lab Expert Victor Chebyshev, this tactic of spreading malware via flash memory is unsophisticated, but clever. It takes advantage of the least tech-aware users, who haven’t upgraded to recent Windows versions, and where Autorun for external drives is not disabled by default. It’s also unusual for a mobile malware to be designed to infect PCs – usually it’s PC malware that infects mobile devices.

Apps on Google Play are usually safe, but it’s always best to download popular apps by reputable developers to be sure.

[source: Kapersky]

Jonathan Riggall

Jonathan Riggall

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