Google has removed 22 applications from its Android Market after they were discovered to contain fraudulent software.<\/p>\n
Apps posing as popular third-party software such as Angry Birds tricked users into sending premium text messages.<\/p>\n
Unlike some other app services, Android Market apps are not vetted prior to being added to the store.<\/p>\n
Google has said it swiftly removes apps that violate its security policies.<\/p>\n
Lookout, a mobile security company based in San Francisco, believes the fraud attempt originated from Russia.<\/p>\n
After notifying Google of the 22 affected apps, Lookout said it then identified five more apps running the so-called “RuFraud” scam.<\/p>\n
The scam would make a user believe they were about to download a game or program, but instead they were giving the phone “permission” to send a text message costing about \u00a33.<\/p>\n
Google has confirmed to the BBC that the additional apps have now been removed.<\/p>\n
Lookout believes that there have been at least 14,000 downloads of apps containing RuFraud. Users across Europe were affected, including the UK.<\/p>\n
The company said attacks of this nature have risen in the past few months.<\/p>\n
More effort<\/strong><\/p>\n Google has come under fire in the past for not doing enough to remove substandard or dangerous apps posing as popular software.<\/p>\n Rival stores, such as those from Microsoft and Apple, require all apps to go through a vetting process before being added.<\/p>\n Alternative app stores for Android have been created by companies such as Amazon, offering additional curation and more vigorous checks.<\/p>\n David Emm, a security researcher for Kaspersky, said Google needed to put in more effort to filter out harmful applications in their store.<\/p>\n “The flexibility of the Android Market is great, but that comes at a potential price to security.<\/p>\n “It will become a potentially bigger problem in the future. Android’s market share is going up, and so is the number of malware-infected mobile software.”<\/p>\n Mr Emm said Google might need third-party help to add screening functions for applications being added to the store.<\/p>\n “I think it’s a question of using existing desktop technologies and transferring them to mobile,” he said.<\/p>\n He worries that existing vulnerabilities in Android applications leaves the door open for wider breaches on Google’s network.<\/p>\n “The concern is that your Android Market account is attached to your Gmail account – which means if my Market account is hacked, it adds another security problem.”<\/p>\n Glass houses<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile Microsoft, whose Windows Phone is an Android competitor, has launched a competition offering a free smartphone to disgruntled Android users who tell their story.<\/p>\n Ben Rudolf, Microsoft’s “Windows Phone evangelist”, tweeted: “If you have #droidrage from Android malware, share your story with me and you could win a #windowsphone!”<\/p>\n The marketing ploy was dismissed by Graham Cluley, author of Sophos’ Naked Security blog.<\/p>\n “Microsoft would be wise not to look too smug at the current focus on Android malware issue though – and using the issue as a promotion for Windows Phone 7 may be shortsighted,” he wrote.<\/p>\n “Let’s not forget, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”<\/p>\n Naked Security later reported on an apparent vulnerability which allowed a Windows Phone’s messaging function to be disabled by simply receiving a text. <\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Google has removed 22 applications from its Android Market after they were discovered to contain fraudulent software. Apps posing as popular third-party software such as Angry Birds tricked users into sending premium text messages. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n