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Trojan SMS Virus for Android Discovered, Run and Panic!

Categories: Android, Featured, Security
By: , IntoMobile
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 at 9:08 AM
Android trojan horse virus discovered
Android trojan horse virus discovered

Our smartphones are little computers that fit in our pockets, but we’re still so used to thinking of them as just phones that we sometimes forget that these little things are susceptible to viruses, too. Today, a Trojan virus for Android has been discovered by Kaspersky Lab. The virus is named Trojan-SMS.ANdroidOS.FakePlayer.a and has apparently already infected a few smartphones.

According to Kaspersky Lab, the virus is disguised as a media player app:

The new malicious program penetrates smartphones running Android in the guise of a harmless media player application. Users are prompted to install a file of just over 13 KB with the standard Android extension .APK. Once installed on the phone, the Trojan uses the system to begin sending SMSs to premium rate numbers without the owner’s knowledge or consent, resulting in money passing from a user’s account to that of the cybercriminals.

What does Kaspersky Lab recommend when you’re downloading apps or allowing access to your handset? Be vigilant and pay attention to just what you’re allowing access to. It goes without saying, of course, but the fact that handsets have already been affected by this virus means it can easily slip through our filters.

And here we were already worried about applications that were stealing our data and sending them overseas.

[Kaspersky Lab via Mobile Burn]

About The Author

Marc Flores

Marc has been a mobile fanatic for the better part of a decade and has had more devices pass through his hands than he would care to count. Originally from Los Angeles and briefly in San Francisco, Marc now lives in Brooklyn where, unlike Will Park, he longs for simpler times and simpler technology. All the while, he writes about gadgets and wireless technology as he tinkers, hacks and ultimately breaks most of his gadgets in the process. Marc has written about the mobile industry for Boy Genius Report, MobileCrunch, Laptop Magazine and has had his work appear in the Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, CrunchGear and more.

  • abc123

    If Kaspersky had any notion of responsible disclosure, the least they could do is give us the NAME OF THE FREAKIN APPLICATION that is harboring this trojan. Just saying it's a "media player" is not enough as there are lots and lots of media players available. Has Kaspersky notified Google? Has the application been pulled from the app store? Nice press release full of missing details. Stuff like this makes me wonder whether or not this is just an attempt at free press and to spread FUD.

  • fjgonzalezm

    This article looks false all the way. First of all, how does the application get distributed? Android's marketplace? Probably is already removed from the catalog.

    A virus sending SMS to premium rated numbers? That sounds to me more like an app for committing fraud and not a virus. Besides, premium SMS shortcodes are legally registered to an entity with an wireless operator, so they can be identified easily.

  • Anonymous

    Computer virus is terrible.

  • Anonymous

    I agree with your points:)