Panda Security has discovered a new attack on Android devices; which it says is a highly elaborate ploy that originates on Facebook, where cyber-criminals advertise a series of apps.
The security solutions vendor explains that when users access Facebook from their Android mobile device, they will see different messages under the title 'Suggested Post' advertising WhatsApp tips like: "Want to know how to see your contacts' chats on WhatsApp? Find out here!" or "Want to hide your WhatsApp connection status? Download this app so people can't see you".
If the intended victim clicks on any of these ads, they are redirected to a fake version of Google Play, the Android app store, says Panda, adding that the user, thinking that this is the genuine site, downloads the free app, which is really a Trojan that subscribes users to a premium-rate SMS service without their knowledge.
"In this attack, cyber-criminals have taken advantage of Facebook's targeted advertising options, says Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs at Panda Security.
"We carried out tests using the same account from a PC, an iPad, an iPhone and Android and the ads were only displayed when using the Google operating system."
According to Panda, the Trojan checks all inbound messages received on the device and if the sender is the premium-rate SMS service, the message is intercepted and deleted so the user is unaware.
"However, this technique doesn't work with the latest 4.4 (KitKat) version of Android, forcing the creators to come up with an ingenious trick - when the message is received, the phone volume is muted for two seconds and the inbound message is marked as read," says the security company. "The app's in-built SMS counter reads the first message received from the premium-rate SMS service and registers the PIN on the corresponding Web site, activating the service."
Malware continues to grow on all operating systems, with Trojans remaining the most pervasive threat worldwide, says Jeremy Matthews, SA country manager for Panda Security. "Android, currently the most popular mobile platform, has continued to suffer the majority of malware attacks targeting these devices," he says.
WhatsApp isn't the only app being used as bait, cyber criminals are also attracting users with topics like: "amazing videos", "Candy Crush tricks" and "Angry Birds tricks".
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