New Android malware is holding phones to ransom

[KakaoDj]

Kitguru article

 

Researchers have uncovered new Android based malware that holds smartphones for ransom, claiming that you must pay $300 or face completely false criminal charges for viewing illegal porn. In order to really freak people out, Android-Trojan.Koler.A uses Geo location data to tailor warnings to whichever country the user is based in.

Ransomeware is becoming an increasingly big problem as criminals get smarter at tricking "gullible" *cough* users in to paying fines and such. This isn’t just limited to Android phones either. Anyone remember Cryptolocker? It's able to hold PC hard drives hostage until users pay a $300 bitcoin fine. 

If you are wondering if they make any money, YES they do. Poor "gullible" *cough* people...

 

The malicious package is automatically installed on Android devices when visiting certain adult websites. So far there have been 68 victims today, 12 in the UK, five in the US, 40 in the United Arab Emirates, six in Germany and the rest come from Poland and Italy.

 

Can't believe people actually fall for this. I mean, seriously, they have a pic of Obama poitning his finger...

[qwertywarrior]

lol...

people stop downloading cracked apps from odd websites

[SirRoderick]

WE KNOW YOU SELL CHILD PORN!

 

But we'll totally let you off the hook for 300 bucks though.

 

<_<

[qwertywarrior]

WE KNOW YOU SELL CHILD PORN!

 

But we'll totally let you off the hook for 300 bucks though.

 

<_<

well the country is in a multi trillion dollar debt

every little help

[Geekazoid]

And this is why I stick to iOS . It's much more difficult to get this kind of thing.

[Nineshadow]

Bitdefender Senior E-Threat Analyst, Bogdan Botezatu, said in an email to Arstechnica that “The ransomware’s main component is a browser view that stays on top of all other applications. You can press Home and go to the homescreen, but a timer would bring it back on top in about 5 seconds.”

 

Well,another Romanian doing his job!

 

I'm wondering how people actually pay for this thing...I mean,come on.Really?You can make it go away.And also,what the hell does the US have to do with the law in other countries?

[FlakeyBanana]

Lol idiots will be idiots, this punishes people who don't know what there doing

[DLM_012]

And this is why I stick to iOS . It's much more difficult to get this kind of thing.

 

But when it does happen you have to wait forever for Apple to fix it right?

[Geekazoid]

But when it does happen you have to wait forever for Apple to fix it right?

Well no such things do happen. So no waiting is involved.

[SirRoderick]

Well no such things do happen. So no waiting is involved.

You know iOS viruses are a thing right?

[Geekazoid]

You know iOS viruses are a thing right?

Yes, I'm guessing with only those who jailbreak their iOS devices. BTW, just so you know. I'm no Apple fanboy. I would've gone an HTC One over my iPhone. But with already having an iPad it was just much more convenient to get an iPhone because everything is synced together and it makes doing different things easier.

[SirRoderick]

Yes, I'm guessing with only those who jailbreak their iOS devices. BTW, just so you know. I'm no Apple fanboy. I would've gone an HTC One over my iPhone. But with already having an iPad it was just much more convenient to get an iPhone because everything is synced together and it makes doing different things easier.

You don't have to jailbreak your iOS device to get a virus. I'm not saying you're a fanboy, you just seem misinformed on the subject.

[The_Evenger]

hmmm are WP viruses a thing?

[Thalandros]

These have been plagueing PCs for quite some time. One of the benefits of living with family is the fact that you experience this and are aware of their existence. Had to deal with these on other people's PC quite a couple of times. I imagine it's harder to circumvent on Androide though, but since you cannot get it through the google play store, I wonder how many people who download the files they download actually have it coming..? ^^

[solosdk]

You don't have to jailbreak your iOS device to get a virus. I'm not saying you're a fanboy, you just seem misinformed on the subject.

Well you do...

No viruses exist *I think* for stock iOS.

[SirPaul]

Well you do...

No viruses exist *I think* for stock iOS.

 

First of all .. No , don't do that .. 

Second of all .. - snip -

Edited May 7, 2014 by alpenwasser

[solosdk]

First of all .. No , don't do that ..

Second of all .. - snip -

http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad-FAQ/f/Is-There-An-iPad-Virus.htm

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/06/04/apple-explains-why-ios-dont-need-no-steenkin-anti-virus/

Read this, random person whose opinion I do not fully share. No known viruses have ever infected an iOS device on STOCK.

Edit: "No, your iPhone does not have a virus unless it was jailbroken. A bug is a flaw in the software included in your system. A virus is malicious software introduced from outside the device. Since the only way you can get software onto your iPhone without it being jailbroken is from the iTunes Store, it is almost impossible for any malware to get onto your iPhone. Nor could a virus, worm or trojan-horse program cause the sort of problems you're experiencing due to the way third-party software runs on the iPhone."

Edited May 7, 2014 by alpenwasser
made language kid-friendly

[SirPaul]

http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad-FAQ/f/Is-There-An-iPad-Virus.htm

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/06/04/apple-explains-why-ios-dont-need-no-steenkin-anti-virus/

Read this, cunt. No known viruses have ever infected an iOS device on STOCK.

Edit: "No, your iPhone does not have a virus unless it was jailbroken. A bug is a flaw in the software included in your system. A virus is malicious software introduced from outside the device. Since the only way you can get software onto your iPhone without it being jailbroken is from the iTunes Store, it is almost impossible for any malware to get onto your iPhone. Nor could a virus, worm or trojan-horse program cause the sort of problems you're experiencing due to the way third-party software runs on the iPhone."

reported.

[SirPaul]

http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad-FAQ/f/Is-There-An-iPad-Virus.htm

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/06/04/apple-explains-why-ios-dont-need-no-steenkin-anti-virus/

Read this, cunt. No known viruses have ever infected an iOS device on STOCK.

Edit: "No, your iPhone does not have a virus unless it was jailbroken. A bug is a flaw in the software included in your system. A virus is malicious software introduced from outside the device. Since the only way you can get software onto your iPhone without it being jailbroken is from the iTunes Store, it is almost impossible for any malware to get onto your iPhone. Nor could a virus, worm or trojan-horse program cause the sort of problems you're experiencing due to the way third-party software runs on the iPhone."

Oh and Okay, It seems you are little bit overheating so OK, your right, I guess there are not viruses on iOS .  Yup, Your right.

Lets call them something more fancy .    Security Holes  

How you like that ?  Much prettier and stylish name for such OS  

 

[wilbso]

http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad-FAQ/f/Is-There-An-iPad-Virus.htm

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/06/04/apple-explains-why-ios-dont-need-no-steenkin-anti-virus/

Read this. No known viruses have ever infected an iOS device on STOCK.

Edit: "No, your iPhone does not have a virus unless it was jailbroken. A bug is a flaw in the software included in your system. A virus is malicious software introduced from outside the device. Since the only way you can get software onto your iPhone without it being jailbroken is from the iTunes Store, it is almost impossible for any malware to get onto your iPhone. Nor could a virus, worm or trojan-horse program cause the sort of problems you're experiencing due to the way third-party software runs on the iPhone."

 

Not true. One my friends had stock IOS, he accidentally clicked an ad on safari and it locked his phone, changed his password and didn't let him in. Had to get his phone replaced.

Edited May 7, 2014 by alpenwasser
removed profanity in quote

[wilbso]

You don't have to jailbreak your iOS device to get a virus. I'm not saying you're a fanboy, you just seem misinformed on the subject.

I agree. 

[colonel_mortis]

Well you do...

No viruses exist *I think* for stock iOS.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/aug/19/ios-malware-apple-iphone-ipad-jekyll

They do, but are far less common and much more limited. You are much more likely to get malware on a more open platform like Android, but that doesn't mean that iOS is completely free of malware.

 

OT: The malware in the OP isn't good, but it can't be on the play store because apps have to be approved (I think?), so its audience is limited. Also, if you can leave the malware and go to the homescreen (even for 5 seconds), you would be able to launch settings, and then after a few times (malware reopens, you switch back to settings, do stuff, malware reopens etc), you should be able to force stop the malware. I know many users might not be tech savvy enough to manage this, but it's certainly not an insurmountable piece of malware, unlike cryptolocker was apparently.

[TheWall]

And this is why I stick to iOS . It's much more difficult to get this kind of thing.

Or you can not be an idiot...

[MatheusSanzo]

If i only access pornhub and xhamster then im good?

[lachyman]

Similar thing happened to me when I was watching some porn on my PC