Latest Android trojan could be worst yet
Android users are at risk of picking up one of the “most sophisticated” trojans for smartphone to date, according to security firm Kaspersky. The newest malware scare, which is known as Backdoor.AndroidOS.Obad.a, infects the handsets of unsuspecting users and then proceeds to rack up charges to premium-rate SMS numbers, install additional malware, distribute malicious software to other phones via Bluetooth, and perform remote commands in the Android console.
It does so while hiding behind a veil of code obfuscation and takes advantage of a number of newly discovered security holes in the Android software. Because of this, Kaspersky’s experts are having a hard time tracking down and squashing the malware bug. The trojan provides itself with Device Administrator privileges and then hies itself, making it nearly impossible to delete the malicious file.
While the Backdoor trojan is potent, it also has a rather limited distribution at this point. This may be key in cutting off the problem before it spreads. The new malware accounts for only 0.15 percent of all infection attempts. Kaspersky has informed Google of the newly discovered security threat. A more in depth look at the code behind the trojan can be found at the source link below.
[via Kaspersky]