New Android "RAT" infects Google Play apps, turning phones into spyware zombies

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  • Reply 121 of 186
    sudonymsudonym Posts: 233member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    Incorrect. Carriers have no control over Play Services or it's updates. Zero. That's one reason it exists. Google created a way to completely bypass uncooperative manufacturers and inflexible carriers to deliver security enhancements and feature updates directly to Android users. With Play Services delivering some of the newest features of Google Android no longer rely on an OS update that may never come from a manufacturer/carrier who's in no rush.

    http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/09/balky-carriers-and-slow-oems-step-aside-google-is-defragging-android/

    Paid by Samsung?

  • Reply 122 of 186
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    sudonym wrote: »
    Paid by Samsung?

    Marvin already let us in on what you're up to. Carry on sir. The regulars aren't fooled.
  • Reply 123 of 186
    darklitedarklite Posts: 229member
    Quote:


     The practice of selling such a malware package targeting Android is so common it has a pet name among security researchers: an "Android RAT," for Remote Administration Tool


    One of the more amusingly ignorant sentences I've seen in an AI article. The acronym 'RAT' is a common industry phrase - sticking 'Android' on the front to denote the platform isn't a pet name any more than 'iOS RAT' is.

  • Reply 124 of 186
    You wouldn't have that problem with a iPhone ;D
  • Reply 125 of 186
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    You missed out a full stop at the end of the sentence. There should be a semi-colon after 'incorrect' instead of a comma.

    Its a pleasure

    Thanks. I learn something new everyday, and this is why I enjoy this forum.
  • Reply 126 of 186
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    The only acceptable response is for you to close your account and never visit these threads again.

    pedromartins can't seem to make up his mind. In one post he's extolling the virtues of the iPhone, and how it beats all other phones in every metric, and now he's defending Android's security. That boy is more confused than a baby in a topless bar.
  • Reply 127 of 186
    droidftwdroidftw Posts: 1,009member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee View Post



    DroidFTW and Gatorguy.



    I know neither of you are developers, but do you have any acquaintances that are?

     

    I've never made any apps for Android?  Good to know.  Thanks for letting me how knowledgable you are by telling me what you "know."

     

    What's even stranger is how it has nothing to do with the topic at hand.  Zero.  None.  Nada.

  • Reply 128 of 186
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    EDIT
  • Reply 129 of 186
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Shall I go back over your history and give you a list of all the topics/questions you skirt around or avoid? It's your MO, and everyone here knows it.

    You are a liar if you claim you don't avoid questions. Outright, plain and simple liar.

    My MO? Then I think that's exactly what you should do. Find those direct and honest questions you asked me that I've refused to answer. I'll guarantee you an answer now if you can find one I previously missed which I don't believe you can. We had another conversation a few months back where you resorted to similar personal accusations that had nothing to do with the discussion, seemingly to avoid an inconvenient answer then too. I can't recall ever resorting to the same tactics, nor can I imagine why I would need to.
  • Reply 130 of 186
    nexusphan wrote: »
    It's insanely easy to avoid malware in Android. Don't use 3rd party app stores.

    Solid Fandroid logic:
    1. Apple's walled garden is evil
    2. Don't buy from outside Google's walled garden

    :)
  • Reply 131 of 186
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by pedromartins View Post

    Thanks for the awesome gif, but that doesnt make up for the fact of how fantastic and secure Android is


     

    You owe me a new 8 key. There’s juice under it now.

     
    …even in the US most people specifically chose Android…

     

    Then how does Apple have higher sales?

     

    Again, this thread is pointless


     

    Except to highlight Android malware. Which exists. 

     

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post

    Marvin already let us in on what you're up to. Carry on sir. The regulars aren't fooled.

     

    Missed that memo.

  • Reply 132 of 186
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,630member

    If someone would just release an app that bricks all the Android phones instead of spying or stealing a little money, it truly could be a "nuclear option".

  • Reply 133 of 186

    Android…our garden walls are wide open…come on in!

  • Reply 134 of 186
    emesemes Posts: 239member

    Android gets malware. What else is new?

  • Reply 135 of 186
    brlawyerbrlawyer Posts: 828member

    Well, you choose Android, now deal with the pain...to each his own.

  • Reply 136 of 186
    singularitysingularity Posts: 1,328member
    The difference between android and apple in app stores is android allows you to purchase apps from differing app stores be it google, amazon, samsung et al all are relatively trustworthy stores to buy from. Apple only allow you to buy from them. The user decides which to go to. Each has its benefits and each has its drawbacks.
  • Reply 137 of 186
    steven n.steven n. Posts: 1,229member
    droidftw wrote: »
    Those that don't have Google Services certainly don't reap the benefits of those updates.  That may also explain why most Android malware targets users in eastern Asian countries like China and Russia as opposed to US Android users.

    Then those phones aren't really "Android " are they? They are Androidish but aren't part of the platform when the fandroids talk about their 80% market share.
  • Reply 138 of 186

    I can explain the problem plain and simple. Android sucks. Its a mess and always will be. Soon it will be an orphan (and as if it ever really did) it won't know who its daddy is. Android is just some bug eating son of a google whore-  head crawling with lice-  that was put into the wild to do a job for a nickel, that any one else should and would get a quarter for.

     Perfect for those who use it.

    Class dismissed...

  • Reply 139 of 186
    b9botb9bot Posts: 238member

    Android like Windows is surely open, but just like Windows its open for malware,spyware, viruses, trojans, and denial of service attacks and it goes on and on. Open is good to a point. But no security, then it's a real joke. And with so many variants of Android OS and modified android from carriers it makes it even worse. Most of these phones will never see updates because the carriers are to lazy and don't want to create the patches and also want you to buy the next new phone they have waiting in the pipeline. 

    This is what separates Apple from Android. Apple wants you to enjoy your phone and apps and also be safe doing so. That goes for your iPad and iPod touch as well. Everyone complains about the App store approval of developed apps and such. Well without it the same thing would be going on with IOS. But thankfully it's not. Sure Apple misses things but is always good at making those things right and pretty quickly. The media likes to dramatize when IOS has a security flaw 200% but never does so with Android which I find very annoying. Especially since Android is running at about 80% unpatched with malware and such going on all the time. Not to mention those carrier phones that will never see a security patch or OS update ever!

    Open is good, NOT!!!!!!

  • Reply 140 of 186
    OK as a Linux/andriloid user(google news brought me here) you guys as apple users have a 100% different mind set then us Linux users we would rather have openness that allows us to tailor our own methods of protection. We generally are your PC handy,coders,devolpers that's what we love. Apple while great in its own right is a horror for me to use id pull my hair out n use a typewriter then use a copyright lock box with only one mouse button lol but I've seen 60% of ppl able to use apple without any help. Now this article just as my opinions are not without some loaded words most annoyingof those are "android rat" well tthere's been a Apple rat for as long as I've been coding there's prolly iPhone rats if there's not its purely apple sensoring what you can veiw just like China but you buy into a contract that's even more binding then a already loaded wireless contract!? And your article makes android sound exploited this isn't a loophole this is a legitimate tool network administration gets real use from its the same as any hacking tool there double sided blades good/evil but good can't understand how to stop the bad without first getting there feet wet and understand the how n why really a end user with common cents is more then what is need to stop threats like this simple as that I won't use terms that cast a negative veiw toward your os if you don't use propaganda on your "sheep like" audience fair? I think so everyone is entitled to a chose but id rather ppl make there own chose the be pressured into a product that isn't what they want to use. Anyways I'm not here to stir anything up Ijust wanted to cast our 2cents we wwould rather have these tools/threats to tailer our devices to do what n deal with the problems as we see fit we on avg are PC orianted and a lot even use Linux which is nothing more then a kernel but falls under the gnu which in my option is the greatest document sent Washington n Franklin got together 200 years ago its allowed developers to build off ea other with out fear of likeness rights check out github.com so cool
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