First SMS Trojan detected for smartphones running Android

[UncleMike]

According to Kaspersky Lab, they've detected the first malicious program classified as a Trojan-SMS - an app, masquerading as a media player, that:

Once installed on the phone, the Trojan uses the system to begin sending SMSs to premium rate numbers without the owner

 

[jonno2k]

It's hard to tell sometimes. For example, an app might need the internet or GPS... why? I guess it's to upload/download high scores or to get ads relevant to your geographic location... so it's easy to accept the permissions. I guess I rely a large part on user comments to know if the access permissions are legit or sinister.

 

[ari-free]

You should always have anti-virus whether you are on windows, mac, linux, anything.

 

[ari-free]

It's hard to tell sometimes. For example, an app might need the internet or GPS... why? I guess it's to upload/download high scores or to get ads relevant to your geographic location... so it's easy to accept the permissions. I guess I rely a large part on user comments to know if the access permissions are legit or sinister.

if all of a sudden you get an SMS and then you see all these permissions, you're going to go "wait a minute..." You just took a step to think and the social engineering isn't effective anymore.

 

[jonno2k]

You should always have anti-virus whether you are on windows, mac, linux, anything.

Ug... I totally disagree there. I haven't run an anti-virus on my Windows and Linux machines in eons. I'm behind a router firewall, keep my systems updated, don't open email attachments that are suspicious, and so on. I do an online antivirus check every so often just to be sure and have *always* come up negative.

If you're the kind of user that can't resist clicking the "click here to see your prize" stuff then you need an anti-virus program. Or if you have kids using your system. Or if you get your software from untrusted sources. Otherwise it is possible to run your system safely without them.

It all depends on your comfort level I guess.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

Ug... I totally disagree there. I haven't run an anti-virus on my Windows and Linux machines in eons. I'm behind a router firewall, keep my systems updated, don't open email attachments that are suspicious, and so on. I do an online antivirus check every so often just to be sure and have *always* come up negative.

If you're the kind of user that can't resist clicking the "click here to see your prize" stuff then you need an anti-virus program. Or if you have kids using your system. Or if you get your software from untrusted sources. Otherwise it is possible to run your system safely without them.

It all depends on your comfort level I guess.

Very silly not to run an anti-virus. I run Ubuntu, Windows, Virtual PCs, I run anti-virus on all of them.

Why? Because you can always be infected by a browser security hole, a mal-ware advertisement (even on trusted forums like this), email forwaded from friends / family.

Not running anti-virus is like playing Russian Roulette. Have fun.

Bottom line is with all the free and good available anti-virus out there, it is pure stupidity not to run some sort of anti-virus.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

You should always have anti-virus whether you are on windows, mac, linux, anything.

Agree for the most part. The only devices I do not run anti-virus are my mobile devices - Android, iPhone, Blackberry, etc. The reason is because the CPUs are heavily burdened already, running an anti-virus on these mobile devices will make them even more sluggish, and drain the battery quicker.

Hopefully when CPUs become much faster, running anti-virus will not be a problem.

 

[jonno2k]

Very silly not to run an anti-virus. I run Ubuntu, Windows, Virtual PCs, I run anti-virus on all of them.

Why? Because you can always be infected by a browser security hole, a mal-ware advertisement (even on trusted forums like this), email forwaded from friends / family.

Not running anti-virus is like playing Russian Roulette. Have fun.

Bottom line is with all the free and good available anti-virus out there, it is pure stupidity not to run some sort of anti-virus.

I could wear a helmet while taking a shower in case I slip too... I weight the risks, minimize them whenever possible, and have never had a problem. Might I some day? Maybe... and I'll deal with it and fix it.

Until then I prefer to have as much CPU power for my own use as possible. It's a little unfair (if not egotistical) to say it's stupid not to use anti-virus. If you're not comfortable without using one, use one. That's what they're made for. But they certainly aren't mandatory for keeping a clean, virus-free system.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

I could wear a helmet while taking a shower in case I slip too... I weight the risks, minimize them whenever possible, and have never had a problem. Might I some day? Maybe... and I'll deal with it and fix it.

Until then I prefer to have as much CPU power for my own use as possible. It's a little unfair (if not egotistical) to say it's stupid not to use anti-virus. If you're not comfortable without using one, use one. That's what they're made for. But they certainly aren't mandatory for keeping a clean, virus-free system.

Sorry, it is completely fair to say it is pure stupidity not to run an anti-virus.

This is fact. I don't care how good you are at computers (I work on computers / software for a living), no one is above malware.

Those foolish enough to think firewalls and not opening links or strange attachments is sufficient for protection are delusional, and running on luck.

Computers these days are so powerful, running (good) anti-virus will have very little effect on CPU performance. To use that as a reason not to run anti-virus is absurd.

 

[Demache]

Very silly not to run an anti-virus. I run Ubuntu, Windows, Virtual PCs, I run anti-virus on all of them.

Why? Because you can always be infected by a browser security hole, a mal-ware advertisement (even on trusted forums like this), email forwaded from friends / family.

Not running anti-virus is like playing Russian Roulette. Have fun.

Bottom line is with all the free and good available anti-virus out there, it is pure stupidity not to run some sort of anti-virus.

I don't run anti-virus on my older systems. They are just too resource heavy, and my media server never uses a web browser. Now on my newer PC's I do, just since they can handle it much better and they do all the main browsing so you might as well.

But I have only gotten a virus once in 5 years when I didn't have an antivirus. And it was user-error (bad site). They are pretty easy to avoid if you know what you are doing.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

I don't run anti-virus on my older systems. They are just too resource heavy, and my media server never uses a web browser. Now on my newer PC's I do, just since they can handle it much better and they do all the main browsing so you might as well.

But I have only gotten a virus once in 5 years when I didn't have an antivirus. And it was user-error (bad site). They are pretty easy to avoid if you know what you are doing.

LOL you'd like to think so.

I have run PCs for over 20 years, and I have only gotten infected once. That does not mean that in the future I will continue to be so lucky.

Computers these days are more connected than ever to the wide open internet. Using past experience as a yardstick to say "I don't need anti-virus" is not wise.

 

[jonno2k]

Sorry, it is completely fair to say it is pure stupidity not to run an anti-virus.

This is fact. I don't care how good you are at computers (I work on computers / software for a living), no one is above malware.

Those foolish enough to think firewalls and not opening links or strange attachments is sufficient for protection are delusional, and running on luck.

Computers these days are so powerful, running (good) anti-virus will have very little effect on CPU performance. To use that as a reason not to run anti-virus is absurd.

Well we should agree to disagree then. Resorting to insults isn't necessary. You like AV programs - great! I don't - great! We're both happy and don't have computer problems.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

Well we should agree to disagree then. Resorting to insults isn't necessary. You like AV programs - great! I don't - great! We're both happy and don't have computer problems.

Wrong, it is stupid not to run anti-virus, period. Not insulting, just fact.

Kind of like playing out in the streets in traffic is stupid, so is not running anti-virus.

 

[jonno2k]

I don't run anti-virus on my older systems. They are just too resource heavy, and my media server never uses a web browser. Now on my newer PC's I do, just since they can handle it much better and they do all the main browsing so you might as well.

But I have only gotten a virus once in 5 years when I didn't have an antivirus. And it was user-error (bad site). They are pretty easy to avoid if you know what you are doing.

Exactly. Some people like the full body image scanners at airports too thinking they prevent terrorism. If it makes them feel safer then that's all that counts.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

Exactly. Some people like the full body image scanners at airports too thinking they prevent terrorism. If it makes them feel safer then that's all that counts.

LOL You can't be serious.

I am a security consultant and fly all over the US for work. Don't get me started on the body image scanners.

But you're dead wrong on anti-virus. That is fact. Running anti-virus won't guarantee no problems, but it's really dumb not to run one.

 

[jonno2k]

Wrong, it is stupid not to run anti-virus, period. Not insulting, just fact.

Kind of like playing out in the streets in traffic is stupid, so is not running anti-virus.

lol. Okay, I'll make you feel better. You are right. I am wrong. Next topic please.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

lol. Okay, I'll make you feel better. You are right. I am wrong. Next topic please.

Glad you have no more logical arguments against running anti-virus.

 

[RichieHD]

No need to run virus protection on Ubuntu. I've been using it for eons with no issue. Virus' are OS specific. A Winblows virus won't work on my old Mac or my Ubuntu netbook. There are virtually little to no trojans or malware written for either of those operating systems.

As for Android, we should monitor this situation. While Android is an offshoot of Linux, because we deal with Apps that ask for certain permissions- it is possible that a Trojan could slip through.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

No need to run virus protection on Ubuntu. I've been using it for eons with no issue. Virus' are OS specific. A Winblows virus won't work on my old Mac or my Ubuntu netbook. There are virtually little to no trojans or malware written for either of those operating systems.

As for Android, we should monitor this situation. While Android is an offshoot of Linux, because we deal with Apps that ask for certain permissions- it is possible that a Trojan could slip through.

I still run anti-virus on Ubuntu, not to protect Ubuntu so much as to protect the file share with Windows machines.

 

[jonno2k]

No need to run virus protection on Ubuntu. I've been using it for eons with no issue.

Oh for the sake of humanity!! Do you realize what this could mean for the future of our civilization??

 

[AndroidSPCS]

Oh for the sake of humanity!! Do you realize what this could mean for the future of our civilization??

Keep on running your computers without anti-virus. Your ego is really huge for you to have hubris that you know better than the thousands of mal-ware writers out there.

I know, you're way smarter than almost every techie out there!! Real smart!!

I find responses like yours amusing. It is very indicative of how little understanding you have of how vulnerable your computers are to malware.

 

[Demache]

LOL you'd like to think so.

I have run PCs for over 20 years, and I have only gotten infected once. That does not mean that in the future I will continue to be so lucky.

Computers these days are more connected than ever to the wide open internet. Using past experience as a yardstick to say "I don't need anti-virus" is not wise.

Are you kidding? Don't go to sites for warez, and other crap, and you will be fine. When I get a "connection aborted" notification from avast, its pretty startling, because they are so rare for me to come across. And when I do scans, they come up clean. I generally visit pretty safe sites. Ad Block Pro also helps.

Now, on the other hand, if you have some tech illiterate people that go "ololol free curserz" and start downloading everything they find (I have people like that in my house), then yes, an antivirus is pretty much necessary. Even with antivirus, they still manage to find some that slip through. I do one virus scan on that PC, and usually find at least 20 trojans, while my PC's remain clean and use the internet far more than they do.

 

[jonno2k]

It is very indicative of how little understanding you have of how vulnerable your computers are to malware.

Oops... I guess my computer engineering degree is a fraud. I knew that online university was a bad idea!! They said the print-your-own diploma was legit too

 

[ari-free]

When I said everyone should get anti-virus no matter what OS, I was referring to the general public, not techies. Nobody should think that since they have XYZ OS based on UNIX (oooo it's a UNIX system...I know this!), they can just download any app they want and be completely care free because the OS has all these protective measures.

 

[UncleMike]

I'm so glad I came back to this thread to see how the discussion was progressing...