Fears have been raised after more than 100,000 Android phones were infected with malware. According to reports, the malware is instructing phones to not only send spam but buy tickets for events in bulk. The malware is being seen as the most sophisticated to ever hit smartphones, and is based on code designed to make it incredibly hard to combat.
Mobile malware is apparently on the rise as more and more time is being spent using tablets and smartphones rather than laptops. The bug, called ‘NotCompatible’ has apparently been in operation for more than two years, with most mobile malware campaigns only lasting a few weeks up until now. This is the third version of NotCompatible to affect mobile devices, with the malware being as sophisticated as the kind traditionally used to affect desktop computers.
The cybercriminals behind NotCompatible have apparently used a mix of P2P networking technologies, end-to-end encryption and various procedures to stop the malware from being detected. It has been spread by spam and websites featuring dangerous downloads. Android users are being advised to be vigilant before agreeing to any security updates offered whilst using their phones. It’s said that cybercriminals are now turning their attention to smartphones after noticing how omnipresent they had become – and that things are only going to get worse.
So, have you been affected by NotCompatible? Do you think you’d be able to tell if you had? Tell us in the comments section below
