Security News

May Android security updates patch 4 zero-days exploited in the wild
2021-05-19 16:53

According to info provided by Google's Project Zero team, four Android security vulnerabilities were exploited in the wild as zero-day bugs before being patched earlier this month. Attacks attempting to exploit these flaws were targeted and impacted a limited number of users based on information shared after this month's Android security updates were published.

Chrome now automatically fixes breached passwords on Android
2021-05-18 20:22

Google is rolling out a new Chrome on Android feature to help users change passwords compromised in data breaches with a single tap. Chrome already helped you check if your credentials were compromised and, with the rollout of the new automated password change feature, it will also allow you to change them automatically.

Experts Reveal Over 150 Ways to Steal Control of 58 Android Stalkerware Apps
2021-05-18 03:37

A total of 158 privacy and security issues have been identified in 58 Android stalkware apps from various vendors that could enable a malicious actor to take control of a victim's device, hijack a stalker's account, intercept data, achieve remote code execution, and even frame the victim by uploading fabricated evidence. The new findings, which come from an analysis of 86 stalkerware apps for the Android platform undertaken by Slovak cybersecurity firm ESET, highlight the unintended consequences of a practice that's not only unethical but in the process could also expose private and intimate information of the victims and leave them at risk of cyberattacks and fraud.

Beware fake online trading apps, on iOS as well as Android
2021-05-12 18:30

Well, SophosLabs researchers have just published a report entitled Fake Android and iOS apps disguise as trading andcryptocurrency apps, and it seems that some investment scammers are taking a similar sort of approach. If you've gone to all the trouble of building an imposter website that looks like a genuine online currency trading business, and a fake app that is believable enough to pass muster as belonging to someone else's brand.

TeaBot Trojan Targets Banks via Hijacked Android Handsets
2021-05-12 12:41

Researchers have discovered an Android trojan that can steal victims' SMS messages and credentials and completely take over devices. Once installed on a victim's device, attackers can use the trojan to obtain a live streaming of the device screen on demand and also interact with it via Accessibility Services, according to a report posted online by online fraud-management firm Cleafy about the trojan, which is also tracked by the name "Anatsa."

Experts warn of a new Android banking trojan stealing users' credentials
2021-05-11 20:21

Cybersecurity researchers on Monday disclosed a new Android trojan that hijacks users' credentials and SMS messages to facilitate fraudulent activities against banks in Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Called "TeaBot", the malware is said to be in its early stages of development, with malicious attacks targeting financial apps commencing in late March 2021, followed by a rash of infections in the first week of May against Belgium and Netherlands banks.

New Qualcomm Chip Bug Could Let Hackers Spy On Android Devices
2021-05-10 05:41

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed a new security vulnerability in Qualcomm's mobile station modems that could potentially allow an attacker to leverage the underlying Android operating system to slip malicious code into mobile phones, undetected. Designed since the 1990s, Qualcomm MSM chips allows mobile phones to connect to cellular networks and allow Android to take to the chip's processor via the Qualcomm MSM Interface, a proprietary protocol that enables the communication between the software components in the MSM and other peripheral subsystems on the device such as cameras and fingerprint scanners.

Android App Developers Required by Google to Share More Info on Data Handling
2021-05-07 13:04

Google this week announced that it is introducing a new policy for the Google Play app store, requiring all developers to provide information on their data collection practices. Planned as a safety section in Google Play, the change is expected to "Help people understand the data an app collects or shares, if that data is secured, and additional details that impact privacy and security."

6 Unpatched Flaws Disclosed in Remote Mouse App for Android and iOS
2021-05-07 06:20

As many as six zero-days have been uncovered in an application called Remote Mouse, allowing a remote attacker to achieve full code execution without any user interaction. The unpatched flaws, collectively named 'Mouse Trap,' were disclosed on Wednesday by security researcher Axel Persinger, who said, "It's clear that this application is very vulnerable and puts users at risk with bad authentication mechanisms, lack of encryption, and poor default configuration."

Qualcomm Chip Bug Opens Android Fans to Eavesdropping
2021-05-06 19:55

A vulnerability in a 5G modem data service could allow mobile hackers to remotely target Android users by injecting malicious code into a phone's modem - gaining the ability to execute code, access mobile users' call histories and text messages, and eavesdrop on phone calls. That's according to Check Point Research, which said that the bug exists in the Qualcomm Mobile Station Modem Interface, which is known as QMI for short.