Beware – Android Malware App Now Spreads Through Facebook

Earlier this month (February 2012), Google proudly introduced publicly their allegedly new security layer called Google Bouncer to protect all Android device users from downloading malicious and/or viral Android malware app from their Android Market. But what is this report from Sophos Naked Security that there’s one that went loose and it is now using Facebook to spread havoc to all Android device users. Vanja Svajcer, a researcher of Sophos reported that he caught this Android malware app disguising as friendly Facebook friend request. He used his Android smartphone to check out the profile and details of the user and led him to a link from which it automatically downloaded an APK (Android application package) file.

This Android malware application package (APK) comes in many names such as any_name.apk and/or allnew.apk.  From the reports, it looks like that this Android malware was designed for fraudsters to earn money via phone services.

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One of the dreadful problem with Android malware like this one is that it downloads the app without prompting the warning or authorization request which will enable you to allow to install any application on your Android smartphone.

I always believe that one cannot really depend on any Antivirus applications or software. I’ve seen it for many years now that even Antivirus developers are there working hard to counter-attack the malicious malwares and applications there are still many malwares and virus out there manages to get through to the users in so many forms.  No one really can protect your device but yourself by simply examining and think twice before you click a link.

Always be safe or else. Here’s Sopho’s YouTube video on how this Android malware was detected and further details of this application’s behavior.

Tags: Android app, android malware, Facebook, Google Bouncer, virus app