http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/handheld/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=226600359 By Eric Zeman InformationWeek August 10, 2010 According to Kapersky Lab, it has discovered the first known Trojan to be specifically targeted at Android smartphones. Kapersky classifies the "malicious program" as a Trojan-SMS, which attacks users where it hurts the most: their wallet. The Trojan disguises itself as a media player application. The file name is: Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a (kinda gives itself away if you're paying attention, don't ya think?). The file is just 13Kb and has a standard .APK Android app extension. Once the Trojan has been installed, it causes some serious trouble. It takes hold of the device's SMS (texting) application and begins sending text messages to "premium rate numbers" all on the low-down. Premium rate SMS numbers are the SMS equivalent to the 1-900 numbers from yesteryear. They cost users money -- in the form of charges on their wireless account -- for messages sent to and/or received from the number in question. Kapersky says that Trojan-SMS is the most prevalent type of malware attempting to take over smartphones. This particular Trojan is the first to go after Google's mobile operating system, though Kapersky says that Android devices have been infected with spyware before. [...] -- Visit InfoSec News! http://www.infosecnews.org/Received on Thu Aug 12 2010 - 00:08:09 PDT
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