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Android Ransomware Threatens To Share Your Browsing History With Your Friends (symantec.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the some-things-are-better-left-private dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The newly discovered Lockdroid ransomware is unique in two ways. First it uses perfectly overlaid popups to trick users into giving it admin privileges. This trick works on devices running Android versions prior to 5.0 (Lollipop), which means 67% of all Android smartphones. Secondly, after it encrypts files and asks for a ransom, it also steals the user's browsing history and contacts list, and blackmails the user to pay the ransom, or his browsing history will be forwarded to his contacts.

5 of 160 comments (clear)

  1. Stupid traps for stupid people by wardrich86 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You still have to accept and side-load an application off of a sketchy site. Will people ever learn?

    Kudos to the app author, though. The technique is pretty interesting.

    1. Re:Stupid traps for stupid people by alvinrod · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Can you imagine of other news stories were written using the same type of alarmist approach that we see with technology?

      New report shows that toasters are extremely deadly!

      Researchers have found that the common household toaster is an exceptionally dangerous product. Users who intentionally went out of their way to remove key safety features of the appliance and then connect an extension cord to the device so that they can submerge in a tub full of water while standing in that tub were found to suffer grievous bodily harm.

      . . .

      I can understand that is generates clicks, but we'd be better of spending time writing about why you shouldn't visit dodgy sites and install third party applications unless you know what you're doing and provide some examples of what these malicious programs might look like or how they might try to trick you. That would be far more useful to the average consumer.

  2. Dear friends and family... by pla · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Dear friends and family... I look at porn. So do you. Deal with it.

    Blackmail me now, suckah!

  3. Stupid people. by truck_soccer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Stupid people make stupid choices and get pwned. Details at 11.

  4. Re:Sideloaded by farble1670 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    that's fine, but the point is that if you backdoor install shady apps, c'est la vie. the good: you are passing around pirated apps that you don't have to pay for, and your phone was cheaper because it doesn't license google play services. the bad: malware.