A new provision in Google’s developer content policy will prevent developers from delivering application updates directly via their web-servers. This will protect users from cleared Store apps that go rogue once installed.  According to the latest revision of the Play Developer Program Policies, developers are forbidden to rig Play apps with mechanisms that "modify, replace or update its own APK binary code...

An improperly implemented feature in popular voice-over-IP application Viber can help cyber-criminals to bypass the locking mechanism of smartphones. UPDATE: Viber has contacted us to announce an update that fixes the issue. Please make sure that you install the update from Google Play or from the company's product page. According to a report by BKAV, Android-based smartphones running Viber can be unlocked ...

Google Play apps harboring the BadNews Android malware that has recently made the news have been spotted in the wild since June 2012 as Android.Trojan.InfoStealer.AK, according to Bitdefender specialists. The June 2012 version of BadNews was not designed to install fake updates, but could have been a first attempt at testing a new malware delivery system able to bypass Google’s app screening process. Althou...

Wireless carriers may face FTC investigations because of lagging Android security updates, as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a complaint stating that user are exposed to malware threats that endanger their privacy. Arguing that even off-the-shelf smartphones lack the latest security updates and that older models sometimes never receive the latest Android security updates, the ACLU belie...

A new IRS tax spam campaign pumped up by the Cutwail botnet has been found to deliver „goodies” for Android users as well, according to Dell’s SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit. Called Stels, this Android Trojan is a multi-purpose tool impersonating an Adobe Flash update. If it gets installed, the malware can intercept SMS messages, collect contact information and initiate phone calls, as well as install addi...

Malware developers targeting Google’s Android platform are reportedly seeking new ways to establish trustworthy delivery channels for their creations. Cyber-criminals are listening to the old business adage that “one has to spend money to make money.” According to a report by tech journalist Brian Krebs, an Android virus writer is offering as much as $100 for a verified developer account tied to a dedicated...

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published a whitepaper arguing that local mobile companies should start focusing on developing an independent mobile operating system to escape dependency on Google’s Android. Recognizing that a new mobile OS might not compete with Apple, Google or Microsoft in terms of technical know-how, the document strongly encourages local mobile developers and ma...

Android users are surprised to find that the Flashlight apps for Android could rat out device owners, and many more seemingly innocent apps can track their location, according to the Carnegie Mellon University. Researchers argue people are surprised to learn that popular mobile applications are sharing their sensitive data. “There's no sensible reason why a flashlight app would need your location," said Jas...

North American and European Android users face the greatest chance of having their money stolen, while Asians tend to be bombarded with annoying ads and shortcuts from aggressive adware, according to a study by Bitdefender®. Countries with a high risk of being infected by money-stealing Android malware include the United States (16%), France (15%), Romania (15%), the United Kingdom (10%) and Germany (9%) th...

Some popular Android apps aimed at boys and girls in the US such as Tic Tac Toe Kids and Chef Cook Mania - Cooking Game habor aggressive adware capable of tracking and profiling children and hitting them regularly with unwanted advertising, according to Bitdefender®, the leading global antivirus company. The analysis was conducted in light of a recent study by the Federal Trade Commission on Google Play app...