Android malware that can infiltrate corporate networks is spreading

Computerworld ^ | September 30, 2016 | By Michael Kan

[Swordmaker]

DressCode has been found circulating in at least 3,000 Trojanized apps

One of the Trojanized apps that's part of the DressCode family. Credit: Trend Micro

An Android malware is spreading across app stores, including Google Play, and has the capability of stealing sensitive files from corporate networks.

DressCode, a family of Android malware, has been found circulating in at least 3,000 Trojanized apps, security firm Trend Micro said Friday.

DressCode hides itself inside games, user interface themes and phone optimization boosters. It can also be difficult to detect because the malicious coding only makes up a small portion of the overall app.

On Google Play, Trend Micro found more than 400 apps that are part of the DressCode family, it said. That's 10 times more than what security researchers at Check Point noticed a month ago.

Trend Micro added that one of these apps on Google Play had been installed 100,000 to 500,000 times. Once installed, DressCode's malicious coding will contact its command and control servers and receive orders from its developers.

The malware is particularly dangerous because it can infiltrate whatever internet network the infected device connects to. Imagine a user bringing a phone to the office and connecting to the corporate network. The makers of DressCode could use the phone as a springboard to hack into the corporate network or download sensitive files, Trend Micro said.

. . .

According to Trend Micro, 82 percent of businesses have BYOD programs, allowing their employees to use personal devices for work functions.  

The DressCode malware can also be used to turn infected devices into a botnet. This allows infected devices to carry out distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks or be used to send spam.

[Swordmaker]

For your ping list. . .

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

“I’m not an android. I prefer to be called an artificial person”. “Alien”.

[ThunderSleeps]

An expanding malware threat - ANDROID PING!
Android Ping! If you want on or off the Android Ping List, Freepmail me.

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Apparently Google Play needs to do a much better job of screening/scanning apps.