Browser security gets a boost with updates to Chrome and Firefox for Android
It is now possible to enable HTTPS secure browsing on every website using Firefox for Android, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has announced.
Android
Android 4.4 revealed to have VPN security flaw
Researchers as Ben Gurion university in Israel have discovered a vulnerability in Android 4.4 KitKat that allows an attacker to intercept and divert secure virtual private network (VPN) traffic.
Death message: Google Nexus phones can be remote‑crashed by SMS, researcher warns
At least two recent models of Google’s flagship Nexus Android handsets can be crashed remotely - simply by sending them a flurry of SMS text messages, a Dutch researcher has warned.
Androids destroyed: Hacking contest pays out $50,000 “bug bounties” for successful attacks on Nexus 4 and Galaxy S4
“Pinkie Pie”, an under-21 hacker won $50,000 at the Pwn2Own contest, as he used drive-by attacks to take over a Samsung Galaxy S4 and a Nexus 4, both of which run Android.
New IBM system adds “robust” security to smartphone banking and shopping
Cybercriminals are already targeting mobile banking apps as a “way in” to customer accounts – as witnessed in ESET’s discovery of a new, advanced Trojan, Hesperbot. But a new IBM system may help secure smartphones – by using near-field communications chips (NFC) for an additional layer of security. It’s the first system to allow “two-factor”
Security alert over sensors in smartphones – is your accelerometer selling you out?
Most smartphones today contain an accelerometer - without them, the latest fitness apps don’t work - but a Stanford researchers has shown that the sensor can be used to “fingerprint” a device, handing valuable data to unscrupulous advertisers.
Skorpion smartphone charger lights up if your phone contains malware
Plugging your smartphone in to charge up could soon offer an alert that you’ve contracted malware - with a new charger that lights up when it detects malicious software. For businesses, it could be a "last line of defense" against employees bringing infected devices to work.
Millions of Android users open to attacks due to old versions of OS, FBI warns
Android has become a “primary” target for malware, and nearly half its users are open to attacks due to running old versions of the OS, according to an internal bulletin reportedly from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
Paranoid Android user? Maybe this “security pouch” will help
The waterproof metal-fabric pocket ensures users cannot be tracked or contacted - offering a level of privacy that DIY alternatives such as cocktail shakers cannot match.
Darkleech and the Android Master Key: making a hash of it
I made a comment recently that was subsequently quoted in a recent ESET blog – Android “master key” leaves 900 million devices vulnerable, researchers claim – and it appears that comment may have confused one or two people. What I actually said was this: “Security based on application whitelisting relies on an accurate identification of
The real risk in Google removing ad‑blocking apps from Play store
While many Android users speculate about Google's removal of ad-blocking apps from the official Android store, Google Play, we consider the risky behavior that is bound to result.
Android security issues: does a Microsoft Windows analogy make sense?
Malware targeting Android devices shows no signs of relenting, despite the enthusiasm of Android fans. We look at key data points and weigh risks to users.
Securing Your Holiday Tech Gifts, Part 2: Android Guide
The Android ecosystem has taken the market by storm in the last few years, with hundreds of millions of devices, smartphones and tablets, already in the hands of customers, and more on the way this holiday season. As you will know if you read our recent blog post about malware trends in 2013, malicious code
New vulnerability on Android Samsung smartphones claimed
Android enthusiasts claim to have discovered a new vulnerability on Samsung smartphones that could allow an attacker to gain administrative access to the device through any installed app.
ESET mobile solution now available for Android
ESET has announced Endpoint Security for Android, which it says is specifically designed for the contemporary business environment and adds another layer of protection to the family of ESET Endpoint Solutions and features all the benefits made popular by the previous version of ESET Mobile Security Business Edition. The new Android solution also includes Anti-Theft,
Trends for 2013: astounding growth of mobile malware
In 2012 the number of unique detections of malware for Android increased globally by a factor of 17X (yes, that is 1,700%), and we expect the increase in 2013 to be even greater. This is one of the main predictions in the white paper we are releasing today: “Trends for 2013: astounding growth of mobile
Free Android USSD vulnerability protection from ESET now on Google Play
If you use an Android phone you may have heard of something called the USSD vulnerability. This allows a nasty piece of malicious software to reset your Android to its factory default settings and permanently delete your data.
The Dynamic Duo for Securing your Android: Common Sense and Security Software
On Thursday, September 12, Duo Security, a young-but-respected vendor of two-factor authentication devices, announced the preliminary results of a study of over 20,000 Android devices from a two month old study they performed. Based on the results, they calculated that over half of Android devices on the market have security vulnerabilities that are, as yet,
Dancing Penguins: a case of organized Android pay‑per‑install
For years, cyber criminals have organized their operations and traded resources through discussion forums and auction sites. One popular item to trade is access to virus infected PCs for cash. These trading schemes are often called pay-per install (PPI) programs. We have recently started an investigation on a new type of pay-per install program, this
SMSmishing Unabated: Best Buy targeted by fake gift card campaign
News of SMS (text) phishing scams are nothing new to readers of this blog. ESET researcher Cameron Camp recently wrote an article explaining how they work and how to avoid them here on ESET’s Threat Blog: SMSmishing (SMS Text Phishing) – how to spot and avoid scams, And just before Valentine’s Day, my colleague Stephen