New mobile malware raises privacy issues

As if companies needed more incentive to deploy a mobile device management system, there is a new Trojan attacking smartphones based on the Android mobile operating system.

The malware records phone conversations in AMR format and stores them on the device's SD card. It also creates a file containing key information about the device's remote server and parameters, according to the researchers that discovered the Trojan. Without question the new malware will raise privacy concerns for all users of Android devices, including those who have a smartphone for business tasks.

"As it is already widely acknowledged that this year is the year of mobile malware, we advise the smartphone users to be more logical and exercise the basic security principles while surfing and installing any applications," Dinesh Venkatesan wrote for his company's blog.

Infection occurs when users tap the "install" button a popup message that looks very much like the installation screen of many legitimate applications.

Despite news such as this, the mobile malware Armageddon is yet to descend, according to a recent Computerworld report. Widespread threats are years away, but many companies should be preparing now, the news provider asserted.