BadNews malware has infected 32 apps on Google Play: report - Firstpost

Would you like to make Firstpost your default homepage?   Yes | No According to security firm, Lookout, Google Play Store has a new malware called BadNews, which has infected over 32 apps. The firm has informed Google that the infected apps were downloaded between 2,000,000 to 9,000,000 times. Google has removed all the apps and suspended the associated developer accounts for now. The firm wrote in a blogpost, BadNews masquerades as an innocent, if somewhat aggressive advertising network. This is one of the first times that we've seen a malicious distribution network clearly posing as an ad network. Because it's challenging to get malicious bad code into Google Play, the authors of Badnews created a malicious advertising network, as a front, that would push malware out to infected devices at a later date in order to pass the app scrutiny. According to the firm, the malware has the capability of sending out fake news messages, prompt users to install applications and sends sensitive information such as the phone number and device ID to its Command and Control (C&C) server.  How safe is Android? Image via Google. The firm says that 50 percent of the identified applications are in Russian. The apps have also been downloaded in neighboring countries such as the Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia and Kazakhstan. This is not the first time that Google's Play Store has faced malware attacks. In 2012, McAfee had reported that as far as Android was concerned, it had noticed 1.5 million increase in malware since Q1 2012 and identified new threats such as mobile "drive-by downloads", the use of Twitter for control of mobile botnets, and the appearance of mobile "ransomware". Android devices haven't exactly been safe. Google needs to beef up its security as far as apps are concerned or else malware incidents like BadNews will continue to take place. Firstpost encourages open discussion and debate, but please adhere to the rules below, before posting. Comments that are found to be in violation of any one or more of the guidelines will be automatically deleted: Personal attacks/name calling will not be tolerated. This applies to comments directed at the author, other commenters and other politicians/public figures Please do not post comments that target a specific community, caste, nationality or religion. While you do not have to use your real name, any commenters using any Firstpost writer's name will be deleted, and the commenter banned from participating in any future discussions. Comments will be moderated for abusive and offensive language. via Technology - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEqySFzc5Whv0OnfQtcBAPvEOOJoA&url=http://www.firstpost.com/tech/badnews-malware-has-infected-32-apps-on-google-play-report-717618.html

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