Over 60 malware apps on Android App Store - WATCH OUT! Google Remotely killing apps!

zappb

Google has started emailing individual android users for the first time.

It seems like Android is being torn apart by malicious apps

Although Google have fixed this issue, HTC et al. are not rolling out updates in time.

From the article:

The flaw that allowed the malware to gain root access without asking for permissions was actually fixed by Google with firmware update Android 2.2.1. Unfortunately carriers have been extremely sluggish at rolling out updates for Android users, and this is the end result.

Google has repackaged the fix as an individual patch and given it to carriers and handset makers. But it's up to carriers and their hardware partners to push it down to phone customers as the patch will have to be adjusted to individual hardware configurations.

In other words Google's keeping busy killing the burglars in the house, but back door is still wide open. At least it's doing something, though, and giving its customers the decency of communication.

Google is also taking steps to make sure similar malware doesn't reappear in the Android Marketplace. While the company is vague on specifics, it writes:

We are adding a number of measures to help prevent additional malicious applications using similar exploits from being distributed through Android Market and are working with our partners to provide the fix for the underlying security issues.



http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=21061


I wonder if this explains some of the problems we've been seeing recently in the forums

Mr E

Posted last week. At least (a) the apps are relatively harmless, and (b) Google are actively removing them.

bd250110

I think it's a bit disingenuous of Google to blame it's manufacturing partners and networks for this issue. Admittedly they take AGES to push any updates, but that is the system Google has shipped. iOS can be (have been and are still) updated by Apple in a metter of hours via iTunes, regardless of carrier. I know Google want less interference with Android and overlays, so this may become less of an issue in the future.
Security and stability like this is fundamental to the user experience, it's why Internet Explorer and Microsoft lost significant market share to Firefox/Chrome and OSx/Linux. Customers do undertand (and care very much) about who has access to their personal data. With added features like NFC coming into public domain people will be ever more conscious of this. I strongly believe that Android is going to have to loose a lot of the "openness" and potential for "personalization" to gain an acceptable level of security and timely updates.

dots104

Are customs roms ( darkys ) effected by this flaw or if your running the latest version you should be ok

seanybiker

dots104 wrote: »

Are customs roms ( darkys ) effected by this flaw or if your running the latest version you should be ok

I'd imagine they are effected but not 100% sure.