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Virus protection in Android
- Thread starter Der Droid
- Start date
A.Nonymous
Extreme Android User
There's a difference between a social engineering attack and a virus. To my knowledge, Android has never been hit with a virus.
ardchoille
Android Expert
Android is Linux, and there aren't any active Linux viruses right now. Read this article to understand why Linux is more secure than other operating system regardless of the number of users.
I don't really understand whrer you are going with this comment. The BBC article was about a virus called DroidDream. It was found inside an app called Super Guitar Solo, and yes, if you want to call the cover up of the app name 'social engineering' then ok, but DroidDream is still a virus regardless....
I 100% understand how linux operates as have been using mint, ubuntu and backtrack for years. The link you posted goes in to some detail about file extensions and social engineering and I agree that windows is a lot more susceptible to attack (hence i hardly use it). My argument is that even though there isn't a known virus at this very moment, there has been previously - there was a few months ago and there unfortunately probably will be more to come in future.
As I understand Linux. One has to actually do something deliberately like installing an application, to get linux to execute code, e.g. a virus. With Linux one can't just accidentally click on something and it executes, unlike Windows. Code in Linux has to be purposely marked as 'executable' before it can run.
We could make a Linux OS very susceptible to virii, by having it run as root/admin, and having all files executable, including PDF, JPG, MP3, etc. Conventional wisdom says not to do this. However up until Vista and 7, this is exactly how Windows has been.
One can't really completely protect users from deliberately installing malicious software though, e.g. wallpaper which requests 'full permissions' of the device, or a copy of Angry Birds which did NOT come from Rovio. Unless one has a completely closed system where all software is vetted and approved, like Apple's iOS devices.
AngryHatter
Android Expert
Because a Trojan horse and a virus are two very different things.
And they get onto systems in very different ways.
In simplest terms:
A virus replicates itself and spreads. You "catch" one from a nasty link. But you need not install anything.
A Trojan horse enters your system disguised as something else that you download and install; which then sends information from your system to the "mother ship."
(At least in this case of the phone)
ambientdroid
Well-Known Member
Swap what you think the word 'virus' means for the word 'malware'.
Wikipedia said:Computer virus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Malware.
A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself[1] and infect a computer. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability. A true virus can spread from one computer to another (in some form of executable code) when its host is taken to the target computer; for instance because a user sent it over a network or the Internet, or carried it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB drive.[2]
Viruses can increase their chances of spreading to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer.[3][4]
As stated above, the term "computer virus" is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware, even those that do not have the reproductive ability. Malware includes computer viruses, computer worms, Trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware and other malicious and unwanted software, including true viruses. Viruses are sometimes confused with worms and Trojan horses, which are technically different. A worm can exploit security vulnerabilities to spread itself automatically to other computers through networks, while a Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but hides malicious functions. Worms and Trojan horses, like viruses, may harm a computer system's data or performance. Some viruses and other malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but many are surreptitious or simply do nothing to call attention to themselves. Some viruses do nothing beyond reproducing themselves.
Ok, yes it was a trojan not a virus. I think everyones comments are going away from the initial post which is asking whether malware has existed, currently exists, or will show up in future.... and the answer is YES is has and most probably will in future too.
novox77
Leeeroy Jennnkinnns!
The OP mentioned viruses explicitly. But at this point, we can assume for the sake of argument he/she meant malware. And previous post have already said it all: malware is everywhere and isn't going away.
This is not a platform-dependent issue. Malware is everywhere. In the end, the user always has to be educated and stay vigilant. We need to stop making excuses for the average user. The average user needs to use their brain a little bit.
Agreed. The end user needs to do the obvious and know what they are either downloading from the market or transferring through FTP/SSH/USB, bluetooth and/or email. If you are unsure then install an AV security app for safe measure
A.Nonymous
Extreme Android User
The problem with AV apps is they offer 0 protection at all to social engineering attacks. No AV app in the world is going to scream "Hey you moron, that live wall paper wants access to your contacts!! Are you really sure that's wise?" If someone can point me to an app like that it'd be worth paying for.
zuben el genub
Extreme Android User
A virus doesn't really bother me. A Trojan would. I'd love to have a variant of a hosts file on the phone.
This bothers me:
Techmeme: DROPBOX: We'll Turn Your Files Over To The Government If They Ask Us To (Steve Kovach/Tools) We'll Turn Your Files Over To The Government If They Ask Us To (Steve Kovach/Tools) 04-19-2011
I'm wondering about the fact that Google wiped phones from the bad apps. It's good that Google did wipe the apps, but what if that system is abused by someone with a criminal mind?
Nook or Kindle also wiped books due to copyright. That caused a big outcry.
Z
This bothers me:
Techmeme: DROPBOX: We'll Turn Your Files Over To The Government If They Ask Us To (Steve Kovach/Tools) We'll Turn Your Files Over To The Government If They Ask Us To (Steve Kovach/Tools) 04-19-2011
I'm wondering about the fact that Google wiped phones from the bad apps. It's good that Google did wipe the apps, but what if that system is abused by someone with a criminal mind?
Nook or Kindle also wiped books due to copyright. That caused a big outcry.
Z
novox77
Leeeroy Jennnkinnns!
I have a hosts file on my Evo. It's located in /system/etc/. Pretty standard linux stuff here. Replace that file with your own for some additional trojan protection.
Since the file resides in /system, you need a rooted phone with unlocked bootloader to make changes. Assuming you do, you can find the hosts file on your phone by doing this from a terminal emulator or adb shell:
Code:
su
cd /
find -name hostsfirst line requests superuser access
second line changes the directory to the root level
third line finds anything in your filesystem named hosts
A.Nonymous
Extreme Android User
Apple has the same ability to remotely wipe apps that Google does and they've used it before as well. It's not a unique Google thing.
Any legit corporation would do the same. If government access to your data stored in the cloud bothers you that much, then don't do it. Store it locally, or at least encrypt it yourself using an open source encryption tool* before storing with services like Dropbox.
* 'open source encryption' means there is NO government backdoors and access to data.
No, it's not. It's a "Trojan Horse". Big difference, especially in the spread of it, and how it functions.
A trojan horse requires the end user to execute it. A virus executes on it's own.
No, there hasn't been any known viruses for Android. Lot's of trojan horses. But, any OS that requires a person to use it is susceptible to a trojan horse.
There has been one POC virus for Linux. And, it did very little damage. Wasn't able to, since Linux requires root privs to damage anything.
Since you've been using Backtrack for years, I assume you are some sort of security specialist. And, any security specialist worth their salt knows the giant difference between viruses and trojans.
The problem here is that the difference between a virus and a trojan is not simply a matter of semantics or some kind of minor qualitative categorization.
For those who are having trouble understanding the concept, let me take you out of the computer realm for a bit.
Imagine you have a vault where you keep something really precious, like expensive jewels. The vault has impenetrable steel doors. It has motion sensors that trigger machine guns. It has barbed wire fences. This is a very secure place. It also has a security guard named dumbo.
There are some potential intruders that just go straight for the fence and get cut up or blown up before they can even enter. No problem there.
Then one intruder decides to take a different approach and talk to dumbo directly. "Hey, dumbo. I'm the new cool fence addition. Can you let me in, so I can upgrade your vault security?" Dumbo, being dumb, of course complies and opens all the gates and turns off the security to let this intruder in. The intruder has now bypassed all that great security by tricking dumbo.
This latter scenario is what a trojan does. "Antivirus" scans and panicked paranoia about Android being an insecure platform will not protect you against a trojan. Just be aware of what you're installing. Read reviews. Look at what permissions the app is asking for. Do research on the company or individual that created the app.
For those who are having trouble understanding the concept, let me take you out of the computer realm for a bit.
Imagine you have a vault where you keep something really precious, like expensive jewels. The vault has impenetrable steel doors. It has motion sensors that trigger machine guns. It has barbed wire fences. This is a very secure place. It also has a security guard named dumbo.
There are some potential intruders that just go straight for the fence and get cut up or blown up before they can even enter. No problem there.
Then one intruder decides to take a different approach and talk to dumbo directly. "Hey, dumbo. I'm the new cool fence addition. Can you let me in, so I can upgrade your vault security?" Dumbo, being dumb, of course complies and opens all the gates and turns off the security to let this intruder in. The intruder has now bypassed all that great security by tricking dumbo.
This latter scenario is what a trojan does. "Antivirus" scans and panicked paranoia about Android being an insecure platform will not protect you against a trojan. Just be aware of what you're installing. Read reviews. Look at what permissions the app is asking for. Do research on the company or individual that created the app.
AngryHatter
Android Expert
No, the original query was - "VIRUS Protection in Android."
So, no...there is none.
And for extra credit, name an AV app that has detected ANYTHING.
novox77
Leeeroy Jennnkinnns!
No, the original query was - "VIRUS Protection in Android."
So, no...there is none.
And for extra credit, name an AV app that has detected ANYTHING.
AVG declared I had infections and wanted to uninstall my wifi-tether app. I uninstalled AVG.