SMS trojan threat is getting real

Jay Seaton

USA: September was witness to the second SMS Trojan to target phones running on Google's Android operating system has been identified this month.  The first SMS Trojan, disguised as a media player application, attacks the phone by sending SMS messages to premium rate numbers resulting in a huge bill for the unsuspecting owner. According to  PC World, the second Trojan is very similar to the first. Again targeting users, this app remains disguised as a media player.

Although it is no surprise that cyber criminals are now targeting smartphones for illicit money-making activities, this latest discovery further serves to show the breadth and depth of current mobile security threats mobile subscribers face.  As mobile messaging is increasingly used for critical applications including mobile banking and mobile payments, and by an expanding number of subscribers of all ages, the need and demand for more robust mobile security has never been more apparent.

While there are steps that users can take to prevent malware attacks, such as only installing apps they trust and using passwords, the responsibility to protect devices also lies with the operator.

Network operators must have in place as standard a robust security system that is able to detect abnormal patterns in messaging traffic, confirm legitimate senders, filter content and block suspicious messages. They should also help subscribers better manage their mobile security themselves by implementing personal subscriber controls and preferences.  SMS malware attacks will soon become a common occurrence, and security solutions and controls that protect both the network and the user need to be implemented now.

(SOURCE: Mobile Messaging 2.0)