The research team at Lookout security recently discovered new adware that has the ability to dig its claws so deep into its Android host device that it presents a near impossible task to remove. As some android users may already be aware that most Android based devices can currently be hacked via a conventional multimedia file or MMS message.
The recent survey highlighted in excess of 20,000 adware containing apps that currently go around masquerading as the well-known Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and numerous other likenesses of popular mobile online services. The security research study highlighted a newly uncovered style of malware that remains hidden inside Android apps that look and act as if there are entirely legitimate service delivery agents.
The world-renowned Lookout Security firm characterised these new types of unsavoury practices by likening them to trojanized adware. They comprise of third-party lookalikes of Facebook, Google, WhatsApp, Twitter, and a multitude of popular apps. However, once users install these trojanized lookalikes, they employ an illegal capacity whereby the app assigns itself system/root level security permissions that enables it to liberally infiltrate ads throughout the complete OS to illegally generate money for its hacker/creator.
The security firm expressed concern, since this represents an entirely new level at which evil genius is employed, because these infections of virtually impossible to remove or uninstall. It is at current generally accepted that there exists only two solutions to this infestation problem once it exists, the first is to simply throw away the device, and the second is to download a new standard ROM and flash the infected device after which the newly downloaded from can be installed.
The two solutions above is an accurate realisation of the seriousness of this infestation since even factory resets will not get rid of these types of malware infestations. It is not a complete solution, but Android users can listen the risk by exclusively installing apps from Google’s Play Store and furthermore install all the latest Play Services and Android OS updates.