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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.

3 of 160 comments (clear)

  1. A good thing? by by+(1706743) · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Anything to force vendors to, you know, provide up-to-date software. Unfortunately, this probably won't have much of an effect...

    1. Re:A good thing? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Force vendors ...? It should force Google to design an OS that doesn't require vendor approval to get an update. Even Windows manages to do that!

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  2. My boss once got a virus that emailed porn links by tandavanadesan · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My boss once got a virus that emailed porn links to ask his contacts. When he realised what had happened he sent out an aplology, but said he was surprised at how many responseshe got before that said "thanks", " that's s good one", or returned the favour by sending porn links of their own.