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'Godless' Apps, Some Found In Google Play, Root 90% Of Android Phones (arstechnica.com)
Dan Goodin, reporting for ArsTechnica:Researchers have detected a family of malicious apps, some that were available in Google Play, that contain malicious code capable of secretly rooting an estimated 90 percent of all Android phones. In a recently published blog post, antivirus provider Trend Micro said that Godless, as the malware family has been dubbed, contains a collection of rooting exploits that works against virtually any device running Android 5.1 or earlier. That accounts for an estimated 90 percent of all Android devices. Members of the family have been found in a variety of app stores, including Google Play, and have been installed on more than 850,000 devices worldwide. Godless has struck hardest at users in India, Indonesia, and Thailand, but so far less than 2 percent of those infected are in the US. Once an app with the malicious code is installed, it has the ability to pull from a vast repository of exploits to root the particular device it's running on. In that respect, the app functions something like the many available exploit kits that cause hacked websites to identify specific vulnerabilities in individual visitors' browsers and serve drive-by exploits.Affected apps that have been spotted in Google Play, Android's marquee app store, are largely flashlight, Wi-Fi apps, as well as copies of popular games.
Every time I hear the "virus available from Google Play" I think "boy, if they could find this, wouldn't Google?"
these malware "contain malicious code capable secretly rooting an estimated 90 percent of all Android phones"
well there are malware/viruses/etc that are "capable" of doing damage to lot more percentage of variety of computing devices running variety of software.
but they need to get installed/infected/whatever.
but these seems not be all that successful, in that crucial step, even with apps in google store
so don't get too excited.
public warnings are ok, and beneficial . but screaming is too much.
I'm not an Apple fanboi or anything, but I'm pretty sure that there are not a bevy of apps in the App Store that can contain malware which can root 90% of iPhones.
Say what you will about the virtues of Android and iOS, that's just silly.
I see. Verizon and Samsung won't let me root my phone, but Russian and Chinese hackers can. Thanks Verizon and Samsung.
Came here to say just this. "Rooting" your phone should be a setting in a menu somewhere saying "Allow me to access my own device"; it shouldn't require searching the internet for the least-sketchy app to flip a bit somewhere.
Actually the thing with iOS is that it's virtually impossible for anybody but Apple to mass audit apps for malware. There are without a doubt malware apps on Apple's app store, but nobody has found them yet. In fact, in at least a few cases, some malware apps on iOS were only discovered after somebody found it on the Android version and decided to check the iOS version on a hunch.
but I'm pretty sure that there are not a bevy of apps in the App Store that can contain malware which can root 90% of iPhones.
Of course, the response to that is: Not that you know of.
If we have learned anything, it should be:
- Systems are not inherently secure
- Companies are profit driven (they care about you only so much as it affects their bottom line)
- Software is complex
- People make mistakes
This creates an environment where nobody is above reproach. No system can ever be thought of as bulletproof.
My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
public warnings are ok, and beneficial . but screaming is too much.
I didn't see/hear any "screaming"; but I would say, if there were malware in the iOS App Store that could root 90% of iPhones in use, I'd want Slashdot to be right on it!
This wouldn't have happened if Android had been more intelligently designed.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
It's easy to say malware is there (in the absence of any evidence of widespread malware) by saying it just hasn't been found yet.
Not a terrible position, sir.
An iPhone may be right for those people who are not interested and will not become interested in any of the following types of applications, which Apple expressly prohibits in the App Store:
(Reasoning)
I'd also add that I'd be fine with this being turned off by default (i.e. your device isn't rooted by default). Most people won't need root access for what they use their phones/tablets for. But if I want to root my phone/tablet, I can turn this on (perhaps click OK on a "this can wreck havoc with your device if you don't know what you're doing" warning) and then have root access.
Want to make it a little less likely that someone would turn on root by mistake? Do what they did with USB debugging. To turn this on, you need to go to Settings, About Phone, and tap the Build number 7 times just to get the option to display. Make it so "Enable Root Access" doesn't display unless you tap some other section like this. It would prevent casual users from accidentally getting root access while making it much easier for the rest of us to do this.
My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
stop being a cheap-ass and buy a new phone.
And put the old phone to what use? Adding to the growing e-waste problem?
And since when is root "malware"?
Since intruders started using it to give root access to someone other than the phone's owner, such as someone using information stored on the phone for financial crimes.
1) The security model is broken by design.
Android barely restricted apps from taking over your entire phone with an agree box until only fairly recently with Marshmallow.
2) The updating model is broken by design
Carriers don't care if your phone OS is out of date. Manufacturers don't care if your phone OS is out of date.
Bottom line constraint from the supply side - They both want to sell you a new phone or contract.
Bottom line constraint from the developer side - No major punitive incentives from Google to force upgrade have been passed to Vendors, Carriers.
Some variants are just the bare bones needed to install a payload which then waits for remote C&C instructions.
He did say malware apps were discovered on iOS. No citation or anything, but you could at least respond to what he was saying.
And for a while I thought this would actually be informative rather than the usual breathless content-free fare.
You must be new here.
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
I really hate it when articles go on and on about how certain malware was found in unspecified apps on the play store. I assume that Google took them down as soon as they were notified. But let's name the apps and the publishers, please. What specific apps contained this malware?
We're all in deep shit unless we get right with God.
https://youtu.be/i_9aTfGgF0c
You are welcome on my lawn.
So that flashlight app that wanted access to my network, contacts list, photo gallery, and storage media was actually installed by some people?
Came here thinking exactly this. I need an app like this for my phone. Think we can get these guys to update their package for the lastest versions? I could use an easy root.
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
... I haven't been able to access the Google Play store since the Android update I got back in April 2015.
CUR ALLOC 20195.....5804M
We would list the apps affected, but then we couldn't get into your phone anymore.
Go Stand In Line At The Apple Store!!
Never have; never will.
But I'd rather stand in line at the Apple Store for a few hours than spend two days reentering new CC information and changing passwords in everything, everywhere because my identity was compromised through malware on my smartphone...
Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, changing your name, birthdate and SSN isn't exactly an option for most people not working as "assets" for the CIA...
to root my Android 6.0 phone. I should never have upgraded. I really miss my old rooted phoned.
Nevermore.
I'm highly skeptical of the info in the article of being able to root 90%. When I got my GalaxyS5 (running 4.4), I needed to root it (for reasons I won't go into here), but in order to root it, I had to install "SafeStrap" for a recovery boot option, ODIN to flash older kernel to the device, boot to recovery, and downgrade the kernel, then use "BusyBox" and "TowelRoot" to root the device... then recovery boot again, and use ODIN to re-flash current kernel back. This method involved rebooting the phone multiple times, flashing from recovery mode (which an app can't run in recovery mode), sideloading some apps that aren't available in the Play store, and using ODIN (windows program) from a connected PC, plus having downloaded 2 kernels to have handy (and moved to the SD card) for the flashing.
With all that said, how is a "flashlight" app achieving all this when there were too many steps that required user interaction and couldn't be done by an app on the phone? I call BS to the 90% number.
But I agree with the parent, that Root access should be a menu setting, and not require the technical gymnastics that it has become. If not on all phones, then at least on all phones purchased outright that are "unlocked" and not from the carriers (Nexus and other brands similar). I have bought 2 phones recently for family, where we paid full price outright for them, not through the carrier, and are not carrier branded nor even sold through the carrier, and yet they have no root access on them. Why? Would people still use Windows/MacOS if all you got was a user account when you installed, and didn't have admin privileges? I think not. Why is this deemed acceptable on a phone when it's not acceptable on a PC. I would make the same argument for the mediaplayers out there as well, like FireTV, NVidia, AppleTV etc. Should all have root access as an option.
(Checks Phone). Running 6.0.1... not seeing what the issue is.
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Aren't you reaching a bit here. First the user has to download and install the malware and give it the admin password. How in gods name do you manage to read into that as 'rooting' the device. Do you have to serve up that self serving Microsoft propaganda on slashdot. Ars Technica -> Condé Nast->Microsoft-> Ars Technica
That probably explains why AT&T pushed out an update to 6.0.1 this week. They are usually a few versions behind, so this seemed like a pretty quick update...
*** *** You're just jealous 'cause the voices talk to me... ***
A few iPhone apps have contained malware, but nothing anywhere near the amount on Android. Sure, it's less than Android because the App Store Approval Process works quite well, but it has happened once or twice, although never with clearly malicious intent.
FTFY.
It's easy to say malware is there (in the absence of any evidence of widespread malware)
Actually, there is:
https://nakedsecurity.sophos.c...