Good and EVO

New Android security threat can even get past Google’s Bouncer

Android-malicious-appLast week we told you about Bouncer, which is basically just Google's way of keeping malicious apps out of the Android Market. Well, according to Xuxian Jiang at North Carolina State University, there's a new form of malware that might actually be able to evade Bouncer and wreak havoc on your unsuspecting Android device.

This malware could potentially make use of an exploit known as GingerBreak, and could allow a malicious app to gain complete control over your device, including the ability to actually place calls, send texts, listen to the microphone, and download data. Perhaps most disconcerting is that this exploit is undetectable by current anti-virus solutions, and it's also not detectable as a running background process. While Google officially says that there's nothing to be alarmed about, and the Android Market is still as safe as ever, Jiang isn't so sure.

So how can you stay safe? Be sensible: don't go downloading pirated apps from questionable sources, try to stay away from relatively new apps from unknown developers that don't have many reviews yet on the Android Market, and be careful to look at the requested permissions for each app you consider installing.

[Android Community]
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John F

John was the editor-in-chief at Pocketables. His articles generally focus on all things Google, including Chrome and Android, although his love of new gadgets and technology doesn't stop there. His current arsenal includes the Nexus 6 by Motorola, the 2013 Nexus 7 by ASUS, the Nexus 9 by HTC, the LG G Watch, and the Chromebook Pixel, among others.

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