Malware Alert! Android Virus Steals Personal Data including Passwords

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Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has issued an advisory, warning users against a new Android virus that is out on the streets. Named as Android/SmsSend, this virus affects Android smartphones and steals personal information including sensitive data such as passwords. Scroll further to read more about this mobile virus.

AndroidSMSsend android trojan virus CERT-In

What is Android/SmsSend?
Android/SmsSend is a newly detected Trojan virus that affects Android smartphones.

What does this Virus do?
Once inside an Android device, the virus can perform the following malicious and illegal activities:

  1. Sends text messages to numbers on the victim’s contact list. These messages most likely contain a link to download the virus itself, or to other threats.
  2. Sends text messages to premium rate numbers that can lead to high telephone bills.
  3. Steals basic information of the infected device such as:
    1. IMEI number
    2. Device ID
    3. Device type
  4. Android/SmsSend is also capable of installing spyware on the infected device, which in turn, can spy on what the user does on their phone.
  5. The virus can also steal sensitive information such as:
    1. Pictures
    2. Passwords
    3. Banking information
  6. The notoriety level of this virus goes up to a level where it can also track the device’s location, access text messages, crash the affected device, and even disable any firewall protection.

How does Android/SmsSend Spread?
The main source of this Android malware are unofficial, third party app stores.

What Should You Do to Avoid this Malware?

  1. Download apps only from trusted, official stores such as Google Play.
  2. Always check for permissions before installing an app. For instance, if a Flash Light app asks for your permission to use Internet or view your contacts or media, then avoid installing it.
  3. Do not click links in unknown and unexpected emails.
  4. Avoid clicking links in text messages from unknown senders. Even if the link seems to have sent by someone you know, verify it first before acting on it.
  5. Get a reliable mobile security app that performs real-time virus scan as soon as an application is installed on a device.
  6. Use the device encryption feature that is available in Android Gingerbread 2.3.4 and above. Encrypting your device will prevent a hacker from misusing your data even if they get access to it.
  7. Never log on to any website while using public, unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
  8. Regularly back up your device’s important files and keep them safe.

How does Quick Heal help?
Quick Heal mobile security app detects and blocks this Android malware from affecting your device or its data.

 

If you come across any incident that is related to the AndroidSmssend virus or any other malware, please do leave your comments below.

Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
gadgets.ndtv.com
https://ibnlive.in.com

Rajiv Singha

Rajiv Singha


84 Comments

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  1. Avatar Shashikant D MhetreDecember 12, 2014 at 7:57 PM

    Very Nice

    Reply
  2. Very good

    Reply
  3. quick heal me resolve now ka message aa rahai hi

    Reply
  4. Messsages sends automatically from my mobile, and balance becomes nill. What is the problem and its remedy please

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 5:41 PM

      Hi,

      If you have a mobile security app, we would recommend you to run a scan on your device. You can also check with your service provider to verify the number to which your messages are being forwarded.

      Regards,

      Reply
  5. Large number of mails were sent from my above hotmail account to my contacts in the contact list. Outlook helped me to recover my account which was blocked by them for safety. I changed the password

    Reply
  6. The Best android Siqerity quick Heal anti virus

    Reply
  7. Avatar L.Meenakshi SundaramDecember 13, 2014 at 7:19 AM

    Very nice

    Reply
  8. Avatar SOMNATH GOSWAMIDecember 13, 2014 at 7:35 AM

    Heard from one Sasmsung Service Centre that Galaxy Series phones have inbilt antivirus and do not need additional Antivirus. Is it true ?

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 5:03 PM

      Hi Somnath,

      We did learn in September this year, about Samsung phones planning to have an inbuilt antivirus. However, we cannot say whether they have started doing so.

      Regards,

      Reply
  9. How can i kill that virus
    If i’ve QHMS then my phone is safe or not

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 5:00 PM

      Hi Raman,

      If you have Quick Heal App in your phone, then you need not worry about this malware. However, we would recommend you to update the app as soon as possible from Google Play.

      Regards,

      Reply
  10. Avatar Kushal R PandeyDecember 13, 2014 at 8:24 AM

    I have received last month an email which was suspicious and hence it was quite absurd beacause it was send through my school but on asking them they said they didn’t. So i investigated it an acquired the result ie, it was a spam.

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 4:59 PM

      Hi Kushal,

      You did the right thing by not responding to the email, and investigating the matter. Good going!

      Regards,

      Reply
  11. i got micromax a 120 android mobile but my quick heal total security anti virus did not detect it when i used mobile scan, please help

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 4:56 PM

      Hi Kaling,

      If your Quick Heal app has not detected this malware, then that means your mobile device does not have this malware. We would suggest you to update your Quick Heal app so that it can detect such new and unknown viruses.

      Regards,

      Reply
  12. This suggestion is aweosome thanks quick heal

    Reply
  13. Avatar sandip dasguptaDecember 13, 2014 at 10:32 AM

    what about windows 8.1 mobiles like Lumia 535. 630. 520?

    Reply
  14. Mobogenie is a trusted App ?

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 4:54 PM

      Hi Daksh,

      The site “https://www.mobogenie.com/apps” is a third party Android app store. As reports suggest, third party app stores host the maximum number of malicious and fraudulent applications. Hence, we recommend users to always trust official stores such as Google Play and official site of the app’s publisher.

      Regards,

      Reply
  15. good

    Reply
  16. Avatar udaijit pattnaikDecember 13, 2014 at 12:58 PM

    sir,
    I recently upgraded my quick heal 15 to 16.00,32-bit but after upgrading it started showing a message that it is not update , when i tried to update it manually it showed a message update definition file is corrupt.
    It has been not updated since 3 days please suggest what to do.

    Reply
  17. Avatar Nancy GoswamiDecember 13, 2014 at 1:03 PM

    My cell phone is affected by Trojan virus.And I have quick heal
    Antivirus but still Trojan is there so what can I do.

    Reply
  18. Avatar SAMIRENDRA DASDecember 13, 2014 at 1:32 PM

    I am trying to update but seen- No Update for longer time. Please help to update my Quickheal.

    Reply
  19. Avatar Sandeep KumarDecember 13, 2014 at 2:28 PM

    Thanks for the valuable information and advice.

    Reply
  20. quick heal need to provide us the patch up section in their total security product as bitdefender , 360 total security etc. provides us this feature

    Reply
  21. Very nice……

    Reply
  22. Thanks.

    Reply
  23. Thanks for telling me about this malware. It saved my personal data.

    Reply
  24. Avatar Om Nath GoswamiDecember 14, 2014 at 6:12 PM

    Very Nice Quick hear
    AntiVirus

    Reply
  25. I am facing same kind of problem…. few days b4 I got a msg on my facebook account regarding a private video. I clicked the link but there was nothing. suddenly I noticed that this link is automatically forwarded to all my contacts in friend list. from next day I am unable to open my account also, it is telling that malware has affected my account…. please help me how can I overcome from this problem and how can I open my account again.

    Reply
  26. Avatar ananth ananthanDecember 14, 2014 at 9:31 PM

    ple activate my quickheal

    Reply
  27. nice and suitable for all device

    Reply
  28. It is very good antivirus and best security apps.

    Reply
  29. i want to know one thing, how to uninstall this, if attacked. Presently iam using mcafee, it shows that the malware is in the phone, but unable to uninstall, what to do??

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 1:57 PM

      Hi Umapathig,

      Our Support Engineers may be able to help you remove the malware from your phone. Please get in touch with them at +91 927-22-33-000. You can also chat with them by visiting by visiting https://bit.ly/QHSupport

      Regards,

      Reply
  30. Avatar Mahesh UpkareDecember 15, 2014 at 5:05 PM

    How it can be identified that this virus has affected the system?

    Reply
    • Hi Mahesh,

      Our team has analyzed that this malware comes as an Photo Viewer application. Once it is launched by the user, the device gets stuck. If the user tries to go back by clicking BACK or HOME, the app hides itself from the home screen. Another sign of this malware infection is your contacts receiving messages from your number with a URL.

      Regards,

      Reply
  31. Help my device from virus…

    Reply
  32. Very nice

    Reply
  33. goodthings

    Reply
  34. Avatar Mohd Zahid SiddiquiDecember 16, 2014 at 1:01 PM

    Ok

    Reply
  35. Avatar Mohd Zahid SiddiquiDecember 16, 2014 at 1:02 PM

    Very use full app

    Reply
  36. Avatar Mohd Zahid SiddiquiDecember 16, 2014 at 1:03 PM

    OK thanx

    Reply
  37. Avatar Amol GaikwadDecember 16, 2014 at 2:00 PM

    Good

    Reply
  38. Avatar DEEPAK KARLEDecember 16, 2014 at 4:44 PM

    Ok

    Reply
  39. Avatar Lakshmi venkatDecember 16, 2014 at 11:07 PM

    protect my device from virus plz

    Reply
  40. help my device from vires

    Reply
  41. I hv quick heal so need to worry naa ????
    Bt plz tell me what to do next

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaDecember 17, 2014 at 5:43 PM

      Hi Anmol,

      Yes, Quick Heal will protect your device and data from such malware. We recommend you to update your Quick Heal app at the earliest.

      Regards,

      Reply
  42. Avatar santosh kumar shuklaDecember 17, 2014 at 10:33 PM

    Thanks quickheal…

    Reply
  43. Avatar chatarsingh BariyaDecember 18, 2014 at 1:25 PM

    Nice

    Reply
  44. my mobile got infected with this thing on 9th dec
    it is sending messages to a number which i identified
    i blocked dat number .. still no effective
    scanned with every antivirus software but none could detect it
    this thing is effecting the battery life
    also my kernel version to something weird numbers and is also showing the date 9 dec 2014 ..
    i did factory reset but it is still infected
    i noticed something like imeitracker service under messaging in application manager ….
    plz help?

    Reply
    • Hi Vivek,

      Have you tried installing Quick Heal Mobile Security App and scan your device for this malware? If not, then we would recommend you to do so. You can install it from >> https://bit.ly/QHMS_Free

      Also, our Support Engineers may be able to help you the malware from your phone. Please get in touch with them at +91 927-22-33-000. You can also chat with them by visiting by visiting https://bit.ly/QHSupport.

      Regards,

      Reply
  45. Avatar kashiram TamkhadeDecember 25, 2014 at 10:44 AM

    Very nice

    Reply
  46. one of the good….!!!!

    Reply
  47. I m getting unwanter marketing messages inspite of dnd like TD Twitter , TD Lenskart etc, which i have not opted. Is itbecause of some app virus.

    How to stop it

    Reply
  48. Avatar mohammed imranFebruary 6, 2015 at 12:17 PM

    superb boss thanq for these information

    Reply
  49. Recently my android mobile Karbonn Titanium S5 stopped access from the USB drive. The message is as follows: Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)

    Reply