Mobile Malware Targeting Android Users

Android SMS Trojan delivered via SEO techniques.

Android users searching for pornography on their smart phones could be in for a costly surprise. During the course of researching the origin for the first SMS Trojan for Android devices, I found a new Android package masquerading as a porn media player but which instead sends SMS messages to premium rate numbers. The SMS messages cost $6 each and are sent silently in the background without the user's knowledge. The latest Android malware (detected as Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.b) is being distributed via clever search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, a clear sign that cyber-criminals are making every effort to infect mobile devices.

The use of SEO is a significant development that confirms our belief that mobile malware - especially on Android devices - is a potentially lucrative business for malicious hackers. The code in the latest variant is similar to the first version and I'm pretty sure the same person (or group) is involved in creating and distributing this Trojan. It is currently targeting Android users in Russia. The fake porn player does not have a user interface. Once installed, it simply drops an icon (an adult-themed photograph) on the smart phone's screen and starts sending premium SMS messages without the user's knowledge whenever the app is launched.
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Well, that didn't take long for hackers to start fuckin' with the cell phones.