Android Smartphones in India Facing 'Dendroid' Virus Threat

By Prarthito

| Updated: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 13:05 [IST]

Do you use an Android smartphone for your daily work or pleasure? If that's so then this heavily involves you. According to reports, India-based Android smartphones are now facing a brand new threat via a brand new virus dubbed 'Dandroid.'

With the new problem now at hand, hard working folks currently keeping check on everything related to Indian cybersecurity have alerted users of Android smartphones about the newly generated malicious activities of a tricky virus called 'Dendroid' whose infection is said to "completely compromise" the users' personal phone devices.

The Dendroid is basically a new commercial tool that has been designed to allow cybercriminals to easily infiltrate and transform legit Android applications into malicious software. The malware has already hit the underground market and has paved a way for cheap and easy development of sophisticated Android malware.

"It has been reported that a malicious toolkit called Dendroid is being used to create trojanised applications that infects Android-based smartphones. The malware is created by modifying the required permissions by any clean APK (Android Application Package) with Dendroid RAT functionality that allows detailed management of the infected devices," the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) told in its latest advisory to Android phone users in the country.

Another malware detecting firm Symantec has also brought the malware to light by stating that it's basically a HTTP RAT "that is marketed as being transparent to the user and firmware interface, having a sophisticated PHP panel, and an application APK binder package."

"The APK binder used by Dendroid just so happens to share some links to the author of the original AndroRAT APK binder."

As revealed, the virus has the capability to perform a number of unwanted malicious activities, and these include deleting call logs, calling a random phone number, intercepting text messages, automatically record calls and audio, automatically upload photos or videos, and even changing the command-and-control (C&C) server.

CERT-In has advised all Android owners and users to keep an eye on data usage, apart from unusual increase in mobile bills. Users are also advised keep an eye on device battery usage.