New Malware Discovered by Symantec on Android Market

In its blog post, Symantec identified multiple publisher IDs on the Android Market that are being used to push out Android.Counterclank. The malware in question has a bot-like behavior, which can receive commands to steal information from the Android device. According to Symantec, the following apps have been found with the Android.Counterclank malware:

Android has become a prime target for malware over the past few years. While the open-source nature of Google's mobile operating system has given developers a lot of room to work with, it has also acted as a double-edged sword, allowing hackers to gain access to Android devices through these botnets.

So how do you know if your Android device has been infected? Besides figuring out if you've installed the above mentioned apps, there are more indicators. According to Symantec, these apps have the malicious code grafted onto the main application in a package called "apperhand". As such, when it's executed, you'll find "apperhand" running as a service within the infected Android device. A more obvious indicator would be a search icon that appears above the home screen.

So what should you do if you find these apps within your Android device? While removing the app should be the first step, performing a full reset on your phone is a safer route to take.

Source: Symantec via Techgoondu

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