Google Pulls 21 Malware Apps From Android Market

Hugh Pickens writes writes "CNN reports that Google has pulled 21 free apps from the Android Market that, according to the company, are aimed at gaining root access to the user's device, gathering a wide range of available data, and downloading more code without the user's knowledge. Unfortunately although Google has moved swiftly to remove the apps, they have already been downloaded by at least 50,000 Android users. The apps are all pirated versions of popular games and utilities which once downloaded, root the user's device using a method like rageagainstthecage, then use an Android executable file (APK) to nab user and device data, such as your mobile provider and user ID, and finally act as a wide-open backdoor for your device to quietly download more malicious code. 'If you've downloaded one of these apps, it might be best to take your device to your carrier and exchange it for a new one, since you can't be sure that your device and user information is truly secure,' writes Jolie O'Dell. 'Considering how much we do on our phones — shopping and mobile banking included — it's better to take precautions.'"

Comments

Attention:

[Anonymous Coward]

"Please use only the official Google applications for harvesting your personal information."

Re:This is one reason why I have an iPhone

[Skuld-Chan]

Apple has let things slip through. Here's some examples:

http://www.macworld.com/article/152835/2010/07/iphone_flashlight_tethering.html > app allows tethering as a hidden feature to being a flashlight tool.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/02/flurry_modifies_data_collection_after_being_called_out_by_steve_jobs.html > Apple themselves being surprised that Flurry was collecting info on prototype versions of iOS...

There might be more - but in both these situations here are applications doing something that Apple didn't know they were doing and they were screened applications.