The rate at which malware has been popping up on Android as of late is certainly worrisome. The move from desktop to mobile was relatively clean and malware-free for at least a short run. But now that hackers have turned their focus to the smaller screen, we’re beginning to see more and more advanced forms of mobile malware. And it’s Android’s latest problem.
While Android users have had to deal with malicious .apks and stand alone apps for some time now, a new “drive by download” malware is the latest evolution in mobile security (or lack thereof). The way the “drive by” works is more or less identical to PCs/desktops; a user visits an infected website which then runs an iframe that in turns runs a script that pops up the window you see above. The malware poses as a system update allowing the hackers behind the malware possible access to your device for harvesting of data later.
According to MyLookout.com in their latest post, while the drive-by malware is a new and emerging threat, it appears to be harmless at the moment, and not causing any direct harm.
Of course, there are ways to protect yourself. An Android virus software will almost certainly catch the malware in its tracks. Also, turning off the ability to install apps outside of the Google Play market (disabling sideloading of apps) will also kill the malware in its tracks.
Hopefully this nuisance stays as just that and doesn’t evolve into something more nefarious.
Via: Ars Technica
