back to article Smut apps infecting Androids with long-gestation nasties

Dell security researcher Alex Dubrovsky says malware writers have started a campaign that will soon see financially-motivated and/or data-stealing attacks plunder older Android devices through infected porn apps. Android allows users to install apps that replace the lock screen and imbue it with different functionality. It's …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    They don't need to be foolproof to be successful

    Like those web sites that try to trap you on their page claiming you have been infecting with malware or that they're the FBI and have detected child porn on your PC. You can't get off them by closing the tab or whatever, but you can if you simply close your browser and uncheck that page when restarting it, or restart without your old tabs. Not everyone knows to do that though, and such pages wouldn't exist if they weren't successful in fooling some people.

  2. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    "plunder older Android devices through infected porn apps"

    I do believe porn is the most dangerous category of stuff you can try to get on the web. It has been the first center of attention for malware authors since the first grainy GIFs appeared on the intertubes.

    Porn apps/games/whatever is THE category of things I never, ever download on any platform.

    Way to risky.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "plunder older Android devices through infected porn apps"

      Statistically religious sites are more often malware vectors.

      1. Elmer Phud
        Pirate

        Re: "plunder older Android devices through infected porn apps"

        'Beleiver's make really easy marks.

        They are programmed to accept and obey.

      2. gollux

        Re: "plunder older Android devices through infected porn apps"

        Yeah, mainline porn sites kind of want repeat customers.

        Non-profit religious sites operate off a wing and a prayer and so security is often done off faith.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "plunder older Android devices through infected porn apps"

      I've always heard pirate sites for movie/software downloads were the most malware infected. I doubt there have been any studies, so it is all probably anecdotal.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "plunder older Android devices through infected porn apps"

        Wrong. Studies have been done:

        http://www.esecurityplanet.com/malware/symantec-more-malware-on-religious-sites-than-porn-sites.html

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Android:

    The new flash???

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Android:

      No, clearly you have failed and fallen for the hype. Do you want to buy some magic beans???

      If you knew anything about android on a technical level, you would know how flawed this is. If you had any common sense you would also see that despite all this noise, windows and flash are still a gazillion times more vulnerable.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Porn apps?

    ... do you mean a web browser?

    1. Michael Habel

      Re: Porn apps?

      Unlike the reportedly beautifully curated Walled Gardens of Cupertino

      Unlike the reportedly beautifully curated Walled Gardens of Cupertino. Android will actually let you sideload such Apps as you'd care to. i.e. They are not available to you on the Play Store. Obvious candidates here would be Porn, and Ad Blocking App's. And yes there are plenty of shady Pr0n Appz on Google (Search), for you to install, should you feel inclined to actually do so.

      Though I would personally advise saving that for XBMC/Kodi, and the Adult Repo's myself. Upshot of that is better search results (From the lifted Sites), it bypassed all the other Malware infected Ad's Goes STV.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It looks Windows .scr malware didn't teach anything...

    .. Android is the new Windows.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It looks Windows .scr malware didn't teach anything...

      There's a whole generation that missed the Windows adware era. Have never seen BonziBuddy.

      History is doomed to repeat itself.

    2. Michael Habel

      Re: It looks Windows .scr malware didn't teach anything...

      .. Android is the new Windows.

      Damn those Mac users are gonna be upset to hear of this Oh well I guess they get to live another day being to small enough a target to even bother with.

  6. Elmer Phud

    Apps?

    When do you need apps to look at porn?

    (this does not include that fact that we no longer have 'programmes' but 'apps' instead)

  7. Michael Habel

    1) Run an Adblocker such as AdAway even if you have to be root

    2) If you have to Pr0nz, do so from with-in Kodi... No Ads here that I've seen even without AdAway

    3) if you don't do these above two things your asking for trouble.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Planet Pron

    Thats why people should use Planet Pron. Only 1 permission.

    "I'm most impressed that Planet Pron requires no special permissions, and doesn't track what you're doing" - Android Central review

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