Help Android Virus?

[UKseagull]

I seem to have been sending out spam emails from my MSN email account, at first I wasn't sure if it was from my home PC or my HTC Desire. The emails were all sent around 12.15 today so i figure that it must have been from my phone as that's roughly when I checked my emails etc.

I must have an infected app? Has anyone else experienced this?

I think I'd better format my phone back to factory settings.

 

[anoniemouse]

I seem to have been sending out spam emails from my MSN email account, at first I wasn't sure if it was from my home PC or my HTC Desire. The emails were all sent around 12.15 today so i figure that it must have been from my phone as that's roughly when I checked my emails etc.

I must have an infected app? Has anyone else experienced this?

I think I'd better format my phone back to factory settings.

Install the lookout app it has antivirus as part of the set up

 

[speedycolzalez]

I'd change your MSN password. Sounds like your account's been hijacked.

 

[UKseagull]

Install the lookout app it has antivirus as part of the set up

Thanks, I did try that but nothing suspicious was found.

I'd change your MSN password. Sounds like your account's been hijacked.

Thanks also, I've just done that now.

 

[d.knight99]

Those so-called anti virus apps don't update definitions, so I fail to see how they actually manage to keep anything secure? If someone wrote a virus tomorrow your scanner wouldn't know about it and so wouldn't pick it up. Not sure I buy into any of those apps yet. Having said that, there is probably some dodgy software out there but it's pretty easy to stay safe with a little common sense. Android is a very secure system and there's close to no viruses for it yet, so we're alright for now. You may have just got unlucky though.

Have you been installing any suspicious apps from non-market sources or even some dodgy market apps? Nothing will ever just install itself on your system without you knowing, you will ALWAYS have to give it permission first, even a hacked one. It may be disguised as something legit to trick you into installing it but you will still have to tap OK.

And be honest... lol

 

[UKseagull]

You laugh at my misfortune? If I had a wet fish to hand .....

 

[d.knight99]

Haha no of course not. Have a look at this article from Google and you'll see what I mean about android security.

Have you given any suspicious looking apps permission to do anything substantial recently?

 

[UKseagull]

Have you given any suspicious looking apps permission to do anything substantial recently?

Not that I know of. As I've also changed my MSN password, I'm not sure what was to blame but so far I don't appear to have sent any more spam emails.

 

[d.knight99]

Well to be honest, given how android works it's very unlikely to be to do with your phone. I wouldn't worry too much but if it continues to misbehave then it may be worth investigating it further.

At least it's good to know a simple password change seems to have sorted out the issue!