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More Than 1 Million Android Devices Rooted By Gooligan Malware (onthewire.io)
Reader Trailrunner7 writes: A new version of an existing piece of malware has emerged in some third-party Android app stores and researchers say it has infected more than a million devices around the world, giving the attackers full access to victims' Google accounts in the process. The malware campaign, known as Gooligan, is a variant of older malware called Ghost Push that has been found in many malicious apps. Researchers at Check Point recently discovered several dozen apps, mainly in third-party app stores, that contain the malware, which is designed to download and install other apps and generate income for the attackers through click fraud. The malware uses phantom clicks on ads to generate revenue for the attackers through pay-per-install schemes, but that's not the main concern for victims. The Gooligan malware also employs exploits that take advantage of several known vulnerabilities in older versions of Android, including Kit Kat and Lollipop to install a rootlet that is capable of stealing users' Google credentials.Although the malware has full remote access to infected devices, it doesn't appear to be stealing user data, but rather is content to go the click-fraud route. Most users are being infected through the installation of apps that appear to be legitimate but contain the Gooligan code, a familiar infection routine for mobile devices.
So malware can root my phone but i cant?
I'd rather download Ginger or Mary Ann malware.
I can hear his voice now - " Goooooligan!"
Thank you Google for not patching Dirty CoW.
(in before someone says "but third party app stores", two things: a) the article says "mainly", which implies that there are also malicious apps in the Play store, and b) it also notes that you can get infected by clicking certain links, though the exact mechanism is not specified, I believe)
Here I sit w/ my beloved Asus ME302C, complete abandonware for over 3 years now. Everything runs fine, it can handle all updated apps, browsers, Chromecast, and so on. Just no way, other than convoluted roothacking and Cyanogen installation, to update the Android OS itself.
Can I sue Asus for this? (rhetorical question)
https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
I don't have or want a smartphone, but I have a friend who recently had to get one (so he didn't end up with a shitty phone with a screen too small to read) and it's Android; I see there is at least one anti-malware solution out there for Android phones, but knowing little-to-nothing about Android, could I please get suggestions for an effective anti-malware solution for Android phones? Thanks.
Successful parasites do not kill their host - if they do that, they have to find another host. The successful ones minimize their impact on the host, using them as a free ride to other opportunities which they can exploit. Sometimes this even develops into a symbiotic relationship.
If the malware doesn't steal user data, the user has no incentive to detect and remove it. Much to the consternation of the ad networks which are the real targets. I wouldn't be surprised if the next step is for this malware to install patches to fix vulnerabilities in the OS, to prevent other less well-thought-out malware from being installed and eventually getting the frustrated user to wipe and reset the phone.
People who download illegal software from questionable locations end up with viruses!
I have the exact same device. The hardware is amazing, even still. I am however terrified to let it leave the house or to install anymore apps.
I have been looking at this option --> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.meefik.linuxdeploy&hl=en
A tale of a malware app
That exposed Google accountholders
Using Android smartphone crap.
Wow. Crap.
Asus is a long-renowned motherboard vendor, a major PC vendor and I somehow thought they would know a bit about support. They know things about firmware and user-facing documentation and downloads. It's no surprise the Android crap division doesn't support their products, I guess everyone may know it by inquiring a little on the internets but if Asus won't support their hardware, who will with their own? It's like a tragedy of commons, not quite the right term but I wonder how you should call it, where everyone does the same as the very low or negative margins depend on it (and thus whatever accounting salads and stock market things). So, no one makes a move. Some might expect 3 years of updates / support to be reasonable, and I dare say 5 years is more reasonable still for the consumer.
The irony (flame about misuse of 'irony') is Asus sells graphics cards at a +10% margin next to their competitors, just because. Now perhaps the Android hardware industry can grow up a bit : 16nm or 14nm SoC going mainstream, USB-C, UFS flash memory, RAM sizes similar to low end PC, this is somewhat laptop class hardware. I think we can pay +10%, +20% whatever for 5 years of support meaning basic security (and 5 years is compromising much. You can be current on a PC from 1999 or 2001)
https://gooligan.checkpoint.com/
You're welcome.
A cheap Windows tablet with about the same hardware would do about the job with a decade of updates, me think. But Windows is free as beer for 7.9 inches and under, is that it? As if a dealer pushing one free serving of dope.
The post says "Researchers at Check Point recently discovered several dozen apps, mainly in third-party app stores, that contain the malware".
Does that mean there are some apps infected with this in the Google app store as well?
Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain
Kaspersky does a nice enough job. Scans the Web traffic and allows you to block SMS and calls as well.
Roll your own version of android if you don't like it!!!! /slashdot
Come on guys, I'm not fond of Android and even I roll my eyes at how often these pathetically under-powered, insecure, cheap Android devices make the Android Platform worse than the "Windows PC" platform.
iOS doesn't have this problem, because largely people are discouraged from jailbreaking the devices. Android on the other hand, you have Samsung undermining it, LG undermining it, Microsoft undermining it, and the only device that you can even trust are Google's devices, and those aren't great devices either. Like the state of Android is worse than than the "Microsoft Windows" PC market. At least the PC market only has one version of the OS that is de-facto secure/stable/updated. Android has no such thing, and the devices that can run Android often can't run any other version of Android because the hardware platforms are too different.
What needs to happen is that LG/Samsung need to standardize on what CPU/GPU/APU/Modem's that they will use for each generation of hardware, and essentially use exactly the same base parts so that their Android drivers are consistent and as such less prone to breakage. As only LG and Samsung even offer high end devices, just forget about the chinese cheap phones and quit importing the damn things. Like I wish I should shake the people at T-Mobile in the US and Wind(Freedom) Wireless in Canada to stop offering these pieces of crap.
appy apps app apps.