I’ve seen PC malware that affect android mobiles . But now , its the other way round . The ugly truth is that , some malware are designed to attack PCs and spy on the user . Android has always been prone to such malware attacks because of its open source nature . Kaspersky has blacklisted two apps of such kind: Superclean and DroidCleaner ; Initially , both these applications pose as utility apps and show their true colors once you connect it to your PC.
According to Kaspersky , both these applications download and execute data automatically and the extent of attack depends on whether the Autorun feature on your PC has been enabled or not . The app downloads three files (autorun.inf, folder.ico, and svchosts.exe) to the SD card and executes them when the phone is connected to the PC .The latest versions of Windows have Autorun feature disabled by default . But the older versions of Windows have Autorun enabled by default for external drives . So the targeted victim of this malware is a typical android user who connects his android smartphone to an older version of Windows operating system to sync music , videos or files .The malware triggers the recorder and records the user’s conversations . It’s so alarming to see that such hacks which infiltrate into user’s privacy , are actually possible in Android . Lack of critical examination of PlayStore apps by Google is the major reason behind these attacks . Every application submitted to the PlayStore should be thoroughly examined under various test conditions before publishing . But the present scenario is : Submit a sample Hello World application with only one button in it and your app makes it to the PlayStore in a matter of 2 days – As simple as that . Kaspersky released the extensive feature set of both these android malware applications .
- • Sending SMS messages
- • Enabling Wi-Fi
- • Gathering information about the device
- • Opening arbitrary links in a browser
- • Uploading the SD card’s entire contents
- • Uploading an arbitrary file (or folder) to the master’s server
- • Uploading all SMS messages
- • Deleting all SMS messages
- • Uploading all the contacts/photos/coordinates from the device to the master
Superlean and Droidcleaner have been removed from the PlayStore . And Google says “Android users must be cautious about the applications that they download and install ” . Period! Stay Safe! Do not go on installing any apps from Google Play Store. Always read apps reviews, popularity, rating and developer details before installing.
