The sudden success of Android phones seems to have inspired something new in Russia: trojans. Security firm Kaspersky was the first to discover the malware named “TrojanSMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a”, a phony media player app which sends SMS messages to premium rate numbers without the phone’s owner suspecting a thing. The scammers on the other end of the premium numbers end up with a profit.
It’s not surprising scammers should target Androids, given the momentous growth the Android has seen over the last four quarters, beating every smart phone except the iPhone! All these new users just mean new unsuspecting victims. Kaspersky Lab is currently working on Android-specific antivirus software, with plans to launch Kaspersky Mobile Security for Android next year. There are already antivirus apps available for Android users, however in the past, these have been largely dismissed as being unnecessary.
More in Android news, Dell released it’s new Android 5-inch tablet device, the Dell Streak, with a new price tag today in the US – only costing US$299.99 if you purchase on a two-year contract with AT&T. As it can also make phonecalls, it will competing against all the other major devices including the iPhone 4, and it’s cost is 40% less than Apple’s iPad. Will these low prices lead the Android to usurp Apple’s throne?