Phishing Attack Launched from Android Market

Malware was discovered on Google's Android marketplace.

iPhone owners will walk away snickering at this news post, as Internet security firm SophosLabs reports that banking malware has been spotted on Android Marketplace. This means that a malware writer successfully created and uploaded an app to the online store, had it approved, and was positioned to extract banking information from those who installed the app.

First Tech Credit Union originally reported on the phishing scheme back on December 22, saying that the developer--Droid09--has created a "shell" of mobile banking apps that attempts to gain financial information from consumers. "Droid09 launched this phishing attack from the Android Marketplace and it’s since been removed. It’s called phishing because scammers go fishing for information about you or your financial account that may be used for identity theft."

SophosLabs said that it has not seen the applications first-hand, however various other institutions have reported similar warnings. The firm also points out that--although malware has recently appeared on jailbroken iPhones--malicious applications have not appeared on Apple's "highly guarded" AppStore. The Android marketplace, sticking to its "anything goes" theme, isn't as closely monitored as its Apple rival.

"This, combined with the current buzz around new phones running Android such as the Motorola Droid and the Google Nexus One, may make the platform more attractive to cybercriminals in future," the firm said. "As more and more users inevitably take advantage of smartphones to access their bank accounts in the future, the temptation for hackers to exploit systems may become greater."