30th August 2017
Google pulls 300 Android apps used for DDoS attacks (engadget.com).
Reminding those still evangelically swearing how immune to malware Android and whatever distribution of Rumbunktous Linux they sanctimoniously pull one open source off for that the concept of malware moved on as much as operating systems and that it’s actually botnets on Android-powered Internet-of-Things giving the reach-around (Latest Picks 28th August 2016).
“Google has removed 300 apps from the Play store, which were apparently merely masquerading as legitimate applications. In truth, they were made to hi-jack your phone so it can be used as part of a botnet’s distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. WireX, as the botnet is called, pummeled several content providers and delivery networks with traffic from the devices it hi-jacked on August 17th, though it’s been active since around August 2nd. In some cases, it also acted as a ransomware, demanding money from its victim. … In a statement, Mountain View said it’s now also in the process of removing applications from affected devices. It’s unclear how long that would take, though, since based on the team’s research, WireX compromised over 70,000 devices from over 100 countries.”
Recent/related stories
- National Health Service ransomware attack; not targeted, just un-patched opportune (thisisnocave.blogspot.co.uk, 13th May 2017)
- Google reports decrease in malware on its Android Play Store, possibly quoting statistics skewed through the eye of a needle (Latest Picks 26th March 2017)
- The shoddy security Internet of Things really does have a use—for botnets (Latest Picks 28th August 2016)
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