If you##Q##re offered a game like Grand Theft Auto 3 or a $1,000 Target gift card then be warned, this might be the start of a Android spam attack.
Security firm Lookout has found a new Android spam botnet trying to fool people into sending spam messages by smartphone. Now is the time to keep your Galaxy Note 2
The botnet, dubbed SpamSoldier by Lookout, infects phones and then sends out thousands of SMS messages unknown to the phone##Q##s owner.
So far, the spam campaign has been detected by US carriers but it is spreading fast.It has a number of different ways to try to hook you in.
One is to tell people that they##Q##ve won a $1,000 target gift card and it gives an address for you to enter a code to receive it. Another is to persuade people to download Grand Theft Auto 3.
If you tap on a link from one of the SMS messages, you download an app that says it will install the game on your phone. It doesn##Q##t. Instead, the program removes its icon from the launcher in a secrecy bid and then starts firing off Android spam attack messages.
It##Q##s quite a clever ruse and installs a free version of the game to try to fool users into believing it is a genuine offer. Outgoing spam SMS messages are deleted after sending and replies are intercepted so even if friends are complaining to you about the spam, you may not realise it.
Not only is this an extremely annoying spam attack, it could also be costly if you##Q##re charged for SMS messages rather than getting them free with your phone provider package.
Lookout suggests that you only download apps from mainstream app stores and don##Q##t click on any links in SMS messages. It##Q##s good advice because hopefully those apps will have been checked to make sure they are genuine before being made available.
Don##Q##t get caught by the Android spam attack!
The post Android spam attack ‘SpamSoldier’ SMS attack in the wild appeared first on Androidizen.