Security firm Lookout has warned Android users to watch out for a rogue app that infects handsets with a virus and then forces them to send expensive text messages.
The app was first discovered by the Kaspersky Lab, which is hidden inside a media player that users are encouraged to download onto their phones.
“The new malicious program penetrates smartphones running Android in the guise of a harmless media player application,” the firm said in a blog post.
“The Trojan uses the system to begin sending SMSs to premium rate numbers without the owner’s knowledge or consent, resulting in money passing from a user’s account to that of the cybercriminals.”
Lookout has also warned users of the Trojan, saying “it is more important than ever to pay attention to what you’re downloading. Stay alert to ensure that you trust every app you download.”
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
