Up to five million Android smartphones and tablets may have been infected with Android Counterclank malware, making it the largest malware outbreak on the Android Market to date.
According to Computerworld, 13 apps on the Android Market carry the malicious code. Symantec have published a full list of apps currently known to be infected.
Android Counterclank collects a wide range of personal information about users, including bookmarks, GPS location information, and SIM serial numbers. This information is sent to a remote location.
The malware can also change the home page, add or remove icons, and push unwanted advertisements on users of infected devices.
The news comes as a timely reminder of the growing need to be conscious about security risks on mobile devices.
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
