Mobile security firm TrustGo has discovered a new, resilient malware targeting Android phones. This malware has infected around 500,000 Android devices, mainly in China. This “stubborn and hard to remove” malware was discovered by TrustGo on August 8 and catalogued as SMSZombie.A.
SMSZombie.A is being spread through online forums, and some Android apps hosted in GFan, China’s largest mobile app marketplace. “This complex and sophisticated malware takes advantage of a vulnerability in the China Mobile SMS Payment process to generate unauthorized payments, steal bank card numbers and money transfer receipt information,” said TrustGo.
This malware has been distributed with a variety of wallpaper apps. One such app is “Android Animated Screensaver: Animated Album I Found When I Fixed My Female Coworker’s Computer”; and other apps also feature such provocative title. After installing any such app, the malware then tries to take administrative control of the device in a non-cancelable process. And, the virus also disables the user’s ability to delete it. After being done that, the malware can forward various SMS containing confidential financial information.
TrustGo has posted removal instructions of SMSZombie.A in their website.
Source: TrustGo
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