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Nasty Android Trojan Discovered

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concern is legitimate

pwfb

Dec 30, 2010, 11:57 PM
I switched from Blackberry to an Android based device 3 months ago. I switched for most of the same reasons many people do, and honestly, I have little regret. That said, after using Blackberry for 12+ years, my concern was/is security.

I realize that for now this is limited to China and is not impacting the USA. I also get that the Android Market is not impacted by this, again, at least for now.

This all said, I do believe that concern by people like me is legitimate. Perhaps this is why I don't sell, nor will I my Blackberry.
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tgc1980

Dec 31, 2010, 2:36 AM
Nice thing to read after getting a new Android phone.......
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pwfb

Dec 31, 2010, 10:23 AM
Sorry, just sharing my honest feelings. I am not a security specialist, nor do I pretend to understand all of the ramifications. That said, even though I don't (nor would I) use mobile banking and such, I still have my concerns.
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trenen

Dec 31, 2010, 12:32 PM
Apparently, because you are giving off the impression that your Blackberry Market is somehow more secure than Google or Apple? Blackberry is known for email security, nothing more. You can get a virus on a BB as easily as anything else if you go to the same sources. All three companies perform some form of review on products uploaded into the markets to prevent things like the article from happening. If you tread outside of those walls you are going to run the risk of getting damaged. Kind of like playing in the streets as a kid. Reasonably safe in your neighborhood, but you get splattered on the interstate.
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pwfb

Jan 1, 2011, 11:09 AM
Listen, I may be mistaken in my "concern" as my profession is not network or any other type of security.

One of my apprehensions about Android, and again I can be mistaken is that there doesn't seem to be a universal OS for Android. Apple, like them or not has a uniform OS (unless you hack it) on their devices. Same with Blackberry.

Maybe having different versions of Android OS are no big thing and its an needless worry on my part.

Regarding the Blackberry market being secure, I don't know if it is, or isn't. Then again, I use very few apps and the ones (Twitter, Weather Channel, Open Table, etc.) that I do use are very mainstream.
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Dollgrin

Jan 1, 2011, 11:45 AM
Same here.I don't download a lot of apps since I mainly need functions like the memo pad for notes and whatnot. I have some apps like twitter but I feel safer downloading those sorts of apps when you can access them directly from the site instead of using the app market (which I rarely access). For example, you can go to things like Facebook and at the bottom is says "Get this for your ______" which is typically what I do. It's not the same as downloading the same apps for Android through the market place since there are several different versions of Facebook that require some deep access to your phone.
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Dollgrin

Jan 1, 2011, 11:53 AM
I"m not saying your wrong and that the bb app market is more secure, I just don't think it's really an even comparison. I replied to pwfb a bit that you should read.

I think the bigger idea here is that you use common sense while downloading apps and actually read what the app is saying it has access too. When I had an android phone there were a few apps I refused to download because it needed access to EVERYTHING on my phone. Stuff like having a game that doesn't require internet and it needs access to your text, web, call, contacts, etc, etc, etc.
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Dollgrin

Jan 1, 2011, 11:56 AM
And to clarify I don't think the market place comparison is the same because most people need bbs for battery life and school/work and don't have some of the same phone habits that android users have. At least that's how it is for me and I've used both platforms.
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twoferflinching

Dec 31, 2010, 11:57 AM
pwfb said:This all said, I do believe that concern by people like me is legitimate. Perhaps this is why I don't sell, nor will I my Blackberry.


and when the first Blackberry virus hits you'll be doing what?

don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to downplay or criticize your concern; far from it .. but to think that one smartphone software / manufacturer will be immune from what is no doubt the wave of the future is short sighted at best ..

we released a "virus" in a Network Security class that propagated across Windows Mobile devices through MMS .. a trojan horse on an Android is not surprising in the least...
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cstone

Dec 31, 2010, 3:00 PM
While being open sourced and very popular definitely makes Android more susceptible to people writing malicious code for it. You are definitely right. No platform is immune. IMHO iOS and then BB would be the next most likely candidates because of the popularity of the iPhone and the amount of people who use BB for more secure info.
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pwfb

Jan 1, 2011, 11:11 AM
I still am using my Android and I also understand that any device I use is vulnerable. Maybe this is why I am not in the norm these days and still use 4k+ minutes of talk time every month ;-)
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T Bone

Dec 31, 2010, 9:10 PM
So long as you are careful to only download applications from legitimate sources the concern is NOT legitimate

As with PC's, 90% or more of malware is installed because the user is visiting the 'shadier' parts of the Internet
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pwfb

Jan 1, 2011, 11:12 AM
I switched to Mac 8 years ago...never looked back ;-)
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Dollgrin

Jan 1, 2011, 11:59 AM
I deff have to agree. 🙂 I like the tasteful way you said "shadier"... that's nice, and almost makes me want to visit said place...
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tjobrien21

Jan 1, 2011, 6:47 PM
I don't expect this to become a problem with Market apps, because there is accountability there: They know who you are, there's a record of who submitted the code, and what it was. If you're causing trouble, you can be stopped, your software remotely removed, or if your code is blatantly malicious, you could even be prosecuted.

With downloaded/sideloaded stuff, that accountability isn't there.

Seems to me the best solution of course, is get the "good stuff" that's not in the market, into the market somehow. Or make sure the stuff you get is coming from reputable sources. ;)
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