Malware Targeting Android has a Taste for Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich
Poster: SySAdmin
Posted on November 6, 2012 at 8:56:01 AM
Malware Targeting Android has a Taste for Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich
ABINGDON, England, November 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
More than half of all malware detected are SMS Trojans
Android versions 2.3.6, or 'Gingerbread', and 4.0.4, also known as 'Ice Cream
Sandwich' were the most popular Android targets among cybercriminals in Q3, according to
the latest analysis of Android malware by Kaspersky Lab [http://www.kaspersky.co.uk ]
experts.
The rapid growth in the number of new mobile malicious programs for Android continued
in the third quarter, prompting the specialists at Kaspersky Lab to identify the platform
versions most frequently targeted by cybercriminals. Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread accounted
for 28 per cent of all blocked attempts to install malware, while the second most commonly
attacked version was the new 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which accounted for 22 per cent of
attempts.
"Although Gingerbread was released back in September 2011, due to the segmentation of
the Android device market it still remains one of the most popular versions, which, in
turn, attracts increased interest from cybercriminals," commented Yuri Namestnikov, Senior
Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab. "The popularity of the most recent version of the
Android OS - Ice Cream Sandwich - among virus writers can be explained by the fact that
the devices running the latest versions of the OS are more suitable for online activities.
Unfortunately, users actively surfing the web often end up on malicious sites."
Distribution of detected malware by Android OS version, Q3 2012
More than half of all malware detected on users smartphones turned out to be SMS
Trojans, i.e. malicious programs that steal money from victims' mobile accounts by sending
SMS messages to premium rate numbers. The OpFake family has become the most widespread
(38.3 per cent of all the malicious programs detected for Android) among all the mobile
malware families. All the programs in this family disguise themselves as OperaMini.
A fifth of the malicious programs detected on user devices are versatile Trojans, most
of which belong to the Plangton family. After being installed on a device, these Trojans
collect service data on the phone, send it to the command server and wait for the
cybercriminals' commands. Specifically, malicious programs in this family can stealthily
change bookmarks and the home page. The third most widespread malware was the FakeInst
family, whose members pretend to be installers for popular programs (17 per cent). These
two types of malware are mostly distributed via so-called alternative app stores created
by cybercriminals.
Mobile threats of this kind can be neutralised with the help of dedicated mobile
applications. For example, in addition to reliable protection against information theft
via malware, Kaspersky Mobile Security
[http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/kaspersky_mobile_security ] and Kaspersky Tablet Security
[http://www.kaspersky.com.uk/tablet-security ] also ensure data stays safe even if a
device is lost or stolen.
The full version of the report "IT Threat Evolution: Q3 2012" is available at
securelist.com
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792250/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q3_2012 ].
Kaspersky Lab Newsroom
Kaspersky Lab has launched a new online newsroom, Kaspersky Lab Newsroom Europe
(http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en
[https://email.ascentpr.co.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en ]),
for journalists throughout Europe. The newsroom is specifically designed to serve many of
the media's most common requests, making it easier for journalists to find product and
corporate information, facts and figures, editorial copy, images, videos and audio files,
as well as details about the appropriate PR contacts.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection
solutions. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions
for endpoint users*. Throughout its 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an
innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for consumers,
SMBs and Enterprises. The company currently operates in almost 200 countries across the
globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at
http://www.kaspersky.co.uk. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and
other IT security issues and trends, visit: http://www.securelist.com.
*The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by
Vendor, 2010. The rating was published in the IDC report Worldwide IT Security Products
2011-2015 Forecast and 2010 Vendor Shares - December 2011. The report ranked software
vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2010.
(c) 2012 Kaspersky Lab. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. The only warranties for Kaspersky Lab products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should
be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Kaspersky Lab shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kasperskyuk
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Kaspersky
Editorial contact:
Berkeley PR
Carolann Grandison
kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk
+44(0)118-909-0909
1650 Arlington Business Park
RG7 4SA, Reading
Kaspersky Lab UK
Ruth Knowles
Ruth.Knowles@kasperskylab.co.uk
+44(0)871-789-1633
Milton Business Park
OX14 4RY, Oxford
Kaspersky Lab
ABINGDON, England, November 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
More than half of all malware detected are SMS Trojans
Android versions 2.3.6, or 'Gingerbread', and 4.0.4, also known as 'Ice Cream
Sandwich' were the most popular Android targets among cybercriminals in Q3, according to
the latest analysis of Android malware by Kaspersky Lab [http://www.kaspersky.co.uk ]
experts.
The rapid growth in the number of new mobile malicious programs for Android continued
in the third quarter, prompting the specialists at Kaspersky Lab to identify the platform
versions most frequently targeted by cybercriminals. Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread accounted
for 28 per cent of all blocked attempts to install malware, while the second most commonly
attacked version was the new 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which accounted for 22 per cent of
attempts.
"Although Gingerbread was released back in September 2011, due to the segmentation of
the Android device market it still remains one of the most popular versions, which, in
turn, attracts increased interest from cybercriminals," commented Yuri Namestnikov, Senior
Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab. "The popularity of the most recent version of the
Android OS - Ice Cream Sandwich - among virus writers can be explained by the fact that
the devices running the latest versions of the OS are more suitable for online activities.
Unfortunately, users actively surfing the web often end up on malicious sites."
Distribution of detected malware by Android OS version, Q3 2012
More than half of all malware detected on users smartphones turned out to be SMS
Trojans, i.e. malicious programs that steal money from victims' mobile accounts by sending
SMS messages to premium rate numbers. The OpFake family has become the most widespread
(38.3 per cent of all the malicious programs detected for Android) among all the mobile
malware families. All the programs in this family disguise themselves as OperaMini.
A fifth of the malicious programs detected on user devices are versatile Trojans, most
of which belong to the Plangton family. After being installed on a device, these Trojans
collect service data on the phone, send it to the command server and wait for the
cybercriminals' commands. Specifically, malicious programs in this family can stealthily
change bookmarks and the home page. The third most widespread malware was the FakeInst
family, whose members pretend to be installers for popular programs (17 per cent). These
two types of malware are mostly distributed via so-called alternative app stores created
by cybercriminals.
Mobile threats of this kind can be neutralised with the help of dedicated mobile
applications. For example, in addition to reliable protection against information theft
via malware, Kaspersky Mobile Security
[http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/kaspersky_mobile_security ] and Kaspersky Tablet Security
[http://www.kaspersky.com.uk/tablet-security ] also ensure data stays safe even if a
device is lost or stolen.
The full version of the report "IT Threat Evolution: Q3 2012" is available at
securelist.com
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792250/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q3_2012 ].
Kaspersky Lab Newsroom
Kaspersky Lab has launched a new online newsroom, Kaspersky Lab Newsroom Europe
(http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en
[https://email.ascentpr.co.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en ]),
for journalists throughout Europe. The newsroom is specifically designed to serve many of
the media's most common requests, making it easier for journalists to find product and
corporate information, facts and figures, editorial copy, images, videos and audio files,
as well as details about the appropriate PR contacts.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection
solutions. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions
for endpoint users*. Throughout its 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an
innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for consumers,
SMBs and Enterprises. The company currently operates in almost 200 countries across the
globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at
http://www.kaspersky.co.uk. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and
other IT security issues and trends, visit: http://www.securelist.com.
*The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by
Vendor, 2010. The rating was published in the IDC report Worldwide IT Security Products
2011-2015 Forecast and 2010 Vendor Shares - December 2011. The report ranked software
vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2010.
(c) 2012 Kaspersky Lab. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. The only warranties for Kaspersky Lab products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should
be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Kaspersky Lab shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kasperskyuk
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Kaspersky
Editorial contact:
Berkeley PR
Carolann Grandison
kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk
+44(0)118-909-0909
1650 Arlington Business Park
RG7 4SA, Reading
Kaspersky Lab UK
Ruth Knowles
Ruth.Knowles@kasperskylab.co.uk
+44(0)871-789-1633
Milton Business Park
OX14 4RY, Oxford
Kaspersky Lab