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[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Infographic: As many as 100,000 Android apps are “suspicious

Infographic: As many as 100,000 Android apps are “suspicious

Out of over 400,000 applications reviewed by Bit9, over 70% gained access to at least one high-risk permission.

Bit9 analyzed the apps and examined the permissions requested and assessed the potential threat or vulnerability these permissions caused.

About one in four apps were classified as “suspicious” or “questionable” based on the permissions requested, category of the application, number of downloads and reputation of the publisher. Bit9 also surveyed a group of IT decision makers in the commercial sector whose IT security policies affect over 400,000 employees.

Not only do the apps pose a potential vulnerability, but so do the policies. 71% of the respondents said that employees were allowed to access company networks and data using personal devices, but only 24% of those businesses had any monitoring or controls in place to know if any apps present on the devices were accessing sensitive information. That statistic is rather disappointing given that 68% of them said security was the most important driver of their policies.

In the infographic below, Bit9 found over 100 applications with the words “Angry” and “Birds,” but only 4 are from Rovio, the popular apps’ publisher. One of those other apps (among many), “Angry Birds Wallpaper” had access to detailed GPS location services, arguably not needed for such an app to function properly.

Aside from concerns this may raise for consumers, the concerns are a magnitude larger for companies as the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) practice gains more and more acceptance. 26% of the apps get access to personal information such as email or contacts, yet 96% of employers allows users to access corporate email on their personal devices and 85% have access to calendar and scheduling.

One of the more interesting statistics out of the report is that while these companies seem to allow Android devices on their corporate systems, they also rank their perception of Android’s security as less than iOS or BlackBerry.

Does your employer let you BYOD? If so, does the company place an IT policy or control on it to prevent unwanted applications from trying to gain access to personal information that might be linked to more sensitive data?

Check out the image below. It will described easily

:good:

Source: PhoneArena
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Android malware perspective: only 0.5% comes from the Play Store

There has been a lot of chatter recently about how Android is a haven for malware, and how malware on the platform has exploded recently. As we've talked about before, the reality is that supposed malware isn't really as much of a threat on Android as many make it out to be, and new numbers bear that out by showing that an incredibly small amount of malware comes from the Google Play Store.

A lot of the buzz comes from the heads of competing platforms (always the most unbiased sources) like Steve Ballmer, but a recent report from F-Secure also gets a good amount of credit. F-Secure's recent report claimed that in Q3 of 2012 jumped more than 10x, from just over 5,000 instances in Q2, to over 51,000 in Q3. This is a pretty menacing statistic until you give it a bit of context.

The necessary context? Of the 51,447 examples of malware discovered by the security firm last quarter, only 146 came from the Google Play store. That means that the main source for apps for most users only was found to have 0.5% of all the malware found. Sure, if you're living in China and using a bootleg non-Google Android device, and constantly sideloading apps, you may be at a higher risk. Of course, if you're in that situation, it may be a good idea to be more vigilant, since you are responsible for being sure the app you've got is trustworthy, at least until you get Android 4.2, which will scan sideloaded apps for malware.

Even more context: of the 51,447 examples of malware, 55.2% were malicious and the remaining 44.8% were simply deemed "risky". So, yes, malware is bad, but not all of it is actively trying to steal your data. And, beyond that there are actually fewer types of malware, or "families" of malware than there used to be, which is a good sign.

Perspective and context are amazing things, eh? They always tend to make fearmongering that much more difficult.

Source: F-Secure
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Android users seeking USB drivers for Windows targeted with malware infecting PCs, mo

Cybercriminals have started targeting Android device owners looking to connect and modify their smartphones and tablets. They are using searches for phrases like “Windows Android drivers” and everything in between to serve up malware for Windows computers as well as malware for Android devices distributed via fake Google Play stores.

One such Yahoo search result is for the Samsung Galaxy GIO S5660 but naturally it is very likely cybercriminals are targeting more than just one device and on more than just one search engine. Nevertheless, visiting the Russian URL in question automatically downloads a file called install.exe, detected by GFI as as Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT.

The Trojan modifies Internet Explorer’s homepage to a sign-up page for a Russian “escort” site. Yet the scam doesn’t stop there. If a user accesses the same site via an Android device, he or she is led to various different malicious sites.

One of them takes the user to Russian sites containing fake search results. All the links on the search pages direct users to one of five fake Google Play stores:

GFI says: “Thinking that they’re on the actual Google Play website, it is highly likely that users may end up downloading malware onto their mobile devices.” We don’t think it’s “highly likely,” especially given that the searcher set out looking for USB drivers, but it wouldn’t be the first time Android users are duped by fake Google Play stores.

Either way, there are two kinds of Android Trojan premium SMS apps being distributed on these fake stores, both detected as Trojan.AndroidOS.Generic.A. Like the majority of Android malware, these malicious apps sends expensive international text messages to earn their creators revenue. Some variants even connect to a Command & Control (C&C) server to send and retrieve data, as well as await further instructions.

GFI offers the following advice:

These fake markets are looking more and more sleek and professional, so extra care is advised. Only visit and download genuine apps from the real Google Play website by keying in play.google.com to the address bar of your mobile or PC internet browser. This ensures that you will not be directed to sites that merely look like the actual site. This also ensures that the readily available apps you wish to download are not malicious.

Yet GFI has forgotten about the other side of the story. Windows users looking for Android USB drivers should heed the same advice: only navigate to official sources to download tools for your phone. These include the site for your phone’s manufacturer as well as your carrier’s site.
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Good idea for what??

Sent from my Samsung® Galaxy Royale(i9103)® with PAC Rom
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] gitanshu:
How do i use vpn as mentioned for open wifi hotspots?
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
VPN is virtual Private Network.

Below two link will give you brief details for VPN setting over wifi hotspot.

Link 1

Link 2
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
It is estimated that 18 million Android devices will get Malwares

It is estimated that 18 million Android devices will get Malwares​

t is no secret that there is a lot of Malware on Android. In fact, every report seems to indicate that there is more Malware out there than ever before. As it turns out, predictions for 2013 are no different. There are many different anti-virus companies predicting that 2013 will be a record year for Malware.

According to BGR, anti-virus companies like Lookout Mobile are predicting a pretty frightening year in terms of Malware on Android. As it stands, an estimated 18 million Android devices may catch a digital code next year.

There are a number of contributing factors. For one, Android is the most popular mobile operating system on Earth. As Lookout Mobile notes, more than a billion Android devices are slated to be sold in 2013 alone. Another fun fact, those phones will download 70 billion apps.

This is much like Windows computers catching viruses. It’s no so much that the virus is easy to catch, just that the sheer number of users makes it all but certain that someone will find a way to get it. In addition, there is sure to be an increase in Malware-bearing applications as well. So more Malware plus more devices capable of catching it equals more devices getting Malware.

Is there any truth to these Malware numbers?

Yes, there is. However, there is a total lack of context. If 18 million devices catch the virtual flu next year and 1.2 billion are purchased, that’s a paltry 1.5% of devices. In other words, 15 out of every 1,000 devices will get Malware. That’s not very many. As our loyal readers will no doubt point out, there are few companies out there who rely on sensationalism to sell products as much as anti-virus companies.

Of course, there are other numbers to consider as well. For instance, BGR notes that a security firm estimates that 34.7% of Russian Android devices will get Malware as opposed to 0.40% in the United States. So, of course, location has a lot to do with it.

At the end of the day, common sense rules all. Keep an eye on what you download and don’t install applications unless you trust the developer and trust the website or app store you got it from. Are these statistics just taken out of context or is anti-virus companies trying to make things sound worse than they are? Let us know your thoughts.
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] parmarket:
an app to make your android more secure, app dev is from CM team.

Download
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
SpamSoldier SMS spamming botnet found targeting Android devices

We continue to talk about Android malware today – after seeing not one, but two reports in recent days detailing malware expectations in the mobile worlds for 2013, but also after hearing about the Samsung Exynos exploit that could make things easier for malicious apps.

This time around we’re looking at an article posted on the blog of security firm Lookout about a newly discovered SMS spamming botnet. Called SpamSoldier, the spammer botnet “uses infected phones to send a barrage of SMS spam messages without the user’s consent.” Here are some text examples:

“You’ve just won a $1000 Target gift card but only the 1st 1000 people that enter code 7777 at hxxp://holyoffers.com can claim it!”

“Download Grand Theft Auto 3 & Need for Speed Most Wanted for Android phones for free at hxxp://trendingoffers.com for next 24hrs only!”

As you can see, Android users are also targeted by the botnet, which itself is spreading via such SMS messages. Thinking they get deals on certain apps, users click on links provided in such messages at which point the malicious apps installs itself on the smartphone, deletes it tracks and starts, well, doing its job: sending SMS messages.

Once installed, the app spams 100 U.S. phone numbers at a time. When it’s done with each batch it reloads with another fresh set. Meanwhile users don’t know what’s happening as the app deletes outgoing messages and intercepts any SMS replies to the messages it sends.

So far, the impact is seen as “limited,” but while detections “remain low,” Lookout has observed “instances on all major U.S. carriers.” Obviously, Lookout says its own app detects the threat, both the Free and Premium versions.

Has anyone been affected by such a malicious app? How did you discover it?
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] mj.vikram:
I prefer AVG and using it from day one on my mobile and from past 7 years on my system its the best :cowboy:....
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
But I have Kaspersky & its awesome..:p
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] The-Droidster:
I've been an ardent avast fanboy for the past 6-7 yrs! Flawless security and its free!
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Yes, Its free and very useful also.
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] CHINA 9103:
it is an import choice
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Verizon: these Android apps will kill your battery and use your data

Verizon: these Android apps will kill your battery and use your data​

Verizon has put together a list of what it calls "High-Risk" Android apps. These are apps that help the device lose functionality, like the loss of a data connection, for example. They might use an unexpectedly high amount of data or drain your battery two to three times faster than the average game and could represent a security or privacy problem.

Draw Something won't let your phone sleep, leading to a drain on the battery 2.7 times faster than normal

Doodle Jump might look like a harmless game with a cute main character that calls to mind Qbert. How harmful could that game be? The answer is pretty harmful, actually. While the game is running, the phone is not allowed to go to sleep which results in the battery being drained three times faster than average. Draw Something, the one time top game across the planet, when left alone will also drain your battery up to 2.7 times faster than your average game.

Sometime, the issue is more than just battery drain. Take Hill Climb Racing. Yes, this app will zap your battery 2.7 times faster than normal if you leave it alone, but additionally, if you let the game run untouched in the background, it will use 6.4MB of data over 24 hours or 190MB over 30 days. That is scary. But there are even worse games. Need For Speed seems aptly titled as this delightful game, left untouched with the app running, will consume your battery life 4.5 faster than normal. And Jail Escape will go through a whopping 500MB of data in 30 days if left running in the background.

If your battery hasn't been lasting as long as it should, or you find yourself consuming large amounts of data for no particular reason, check you running apps. You might find that the problem is a game that is not playing nicely with your OS. And finding the culprit requires trial and error. We found on one Android phone that Hanging with Friends was not only causing the phone to run hot, it also was running down the battery.
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Report says Android is responsible for 79% of mobile malware

Report says Android is responsible for 79% of mobile malware​

The latest Mobile Threat report from F-Secure shows that of 96 new families and variants of threats to the Android OS, almost a quarter of them had to do with the ol ' Premium SMS con which has your phone send out messages to premium rate numbers. The messages quickly disappear from your phone and leaves a big fat charge that goes on your monthly cell bill. Other variants of this scheme include hijacking your SMS to subscribe to some type of costly service.

Another form of malware steals the mobile Transaction Authentication Number (mTAN) that banks send via SMS to validate mobile transactions. In the wrong hands, this can lead to the draining of your account because the with the mTAN, a request for funds seems genuine. There is some hope; the report noted that extra security prompts when downloading Android 4.2 should help reduce the threats. Some of these threats enter your Android phone through the installation of an app. For example, an app that promises to improve your battery life could be ready to rip you off by collecting information on your phone including its unique IMEI number.

The report notes that 79% of all threats were related to Android in 2012, up from 66% during the previous year. Symbian was targeted for 19% of malware threats last year, down from 29% in 2011. It's quite a reversal since 2010 when Symbian was the target for 62% of all malware atacks and Android was the target for just 11%. But that is what happens when you go from a small share of the smartphone market to becoming the leader, and vice versa.

But another report says that F-Secure's numbers overstate the problem by counting Android test-tools as malware. The problem is that these tests can show up looking like a threat. Another problem is that the report doesn't show if these threats came from an app downloaded from the Google Play Store or from a third party where the apps might be more open to malware. So keep that in mind as you think about the numbers from F-Secure.

Source: Phone Arena
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Smartphone thief uses the phone's camera to out himself on victim's Facebook page

Smartphone thief uses the phone's camera to out himself on victim's Facebook page​

Walking in the Bronx in the middle of the night is not a good idea, as one 27 year unidentified woman found out when she became the victim of a crime that is all too common these days in the Big Apple. A thief wearing a blue hat, blue sneakers and an orange jacket ripped off her smartphone on March 2 near East Tremont Avenue and the Grand Concourse at around 3:00 a.m.

Imagine the unnamed victim's surprise when she checked her Facebook page and found the picture of the thief, blowing out smoke after taking a hit of marijuana. What the dope-y criminal didn't know was that the victim had set up her phone to send all of her snapshots directly to her Facebook wall. And while the guy is still free at the moment, it probably won't be too long before he is cuffed and taken away by one of New York's Finest.

Picture of alleged smartphone thief

Source: Phone Arena
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] :
Lol. Auto upload to Facebook has finally revealed its ONLY utility. To catch the thief if our phone goes missing. :->
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
New SMS scam snares 10 unwitting victims

New SMS scam snares 10 unwitting victims​

Consider this next story to be a warning from us so that you don't end up in the same situation as the ten victims in this sad case, who are out a pretty nice chunk of cash. These ten received a text message from an unknown number, threatening them if they did not immediately repay a debt that the SMS said that they had incurred with an illegal loan shark. The ten, who live in Singapore, arranged for the immediate transfer of funds totaling a combined $18,000 to bank account numbers left in the message.

The criminals threatened to splash paint or set fire to the victim's homes if they did not repay. And while the ten did make the payments, most of them had never dealt with a loan shark to begin with. This is a new scam that has been going around and since early March, 180 reports of this type have been made to the police. According to information obtained by The Straits Times, some of the information such as identification numbers, full names and residential addresses of some of the victims could have been discovered from relatives who did deal with loan sharks.

Meanwhile, the police are investigating and are telling people not to pass along personal information to strangers. The public is also being advised not to give in to demand for payments made through a text message. In fact, the best thing to do is simply to ignore texts from people that you don't know. And with the way that information zips around the world these days, a con that starts in Asia could easily make its way to the U.S. within days. We'd rather see your money spent buying the latest and greatest smartphones or tablets instead of giving in to illegal threats made by criminals, and we're sure you would too.

Source: Phone Arena
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Mobile malware has grown by 163% in 2012, 95% of it targetted Android

Mobile malware has grown by 163% in 2012, 95% of it targetted Android​

Let's be honest - malware is very, very uncool. Unfortunately, though, it's out there and it's even spreading its corruption to our peaceful and happy mobile world. The bad news is that mobile malware has substantially grown in 2012, by no less than 163%, compared to 2011. Not surprisingly, 95% of the infections have taken place on Android devices, seeing that it's one of the most open operating systems around.

The research has been done by NQ Mobile, which is, surprise, surprise, a mobile security company. Now, just because NQ Mobile is a security company doesn't mean that we should totally ignore their message, but it does mean that things may not be as ugly as they try to present them. According to the research, more than 32.8 million Android devices have been infected in 2012. This doesn't seem like a small number at all, even considering the astronomical sales of Android devices.

Despite being a major market, though, US users shouldn't be too worried, because most of the malware attacks seem to be focused on China, India and Russia. We certainly aren't the kind of people who'd recommend that you install a security app on your phone, not just yet at least, but it'll certainly be a good idea to limit those non-Play Store downloads as much as your can.

Source: Phone Arena
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
Malware identified across 32 Android apps, possibly affecting over 9 million users

Malware identified across 32 Android apps, possibly affecting over 9 million users​

Mobile security firm Lookout has identified a number of apps which have been compromised by a malware program called BadNews.

BadNews disguises itself as an advertising network. The program has the ability to send fake news messages and gathers personal information like phone number, device ID. Moreover, the app has the ability to send notifications prompting users to download more applications.

Users infected by BadNews would also be pushed premium SMS messages. What is interesting is how the malware made it to the scene. Since it is not native to the app, it does not go through the same integrity check as the app itself.

The 32 apps are listed below and have been removed from the Google Play store. The developer accounts associated with them have been suspended while Google looks into things. It is possible that some (or all) of the developers were not aware of the third-party nature of this problem. BadNews is designed to look like a regular advertising SDK, so it is entirely possible that some of these apps were developed with no ill-will in mind.

The good news in all this is that out of the worldwide Android user base, only between 2 and 9 million appear to be at risk, so the odds are in your favor that this will not be an issue for you. A little over half of the apps are Russian, the rest are English, and they cover a wide variety of genres from games to wallpapers to dictionaries. If any of these apps are on your device, you will want to make sure your operating system is prevented from accepting installs from “unknown sources” and you might want to consider employing some type of mobile security.

​
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] :
http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=40458751&postcount=1153

LBE Security Manager update =))
[Samsung Galaxy R i9103] D™:
There is separate dedicated thread for the same. Pls post the same there also.