Rogue applications ready-made for cyber criminals now on sale

[Acorn Newsbot]

Criminals looking to target smartphone users can now simply spend around £10k on a ready-made application designed to steal the bank details of millions of unsuspecting users.

Reports have emerged of mobile malware for different operating systems including Android and Blackberry being offered for sale on underground internet sites.

The rogue apps are designed to look like official banking applications but they intercept SMS messages sent by banks to authorise access and trick users into handing over their login details.

Experts suggest this is a sign of a growing trend, with dodgy developers selling hacking as a service, with different costs depending on the level of sophistication and customisation. This could mean it’s even easier for fraudsters to get set-up and target users.

According to our research, 43% of smartphone and tablet users don’t have security measures such as anti-virus software, remote wipe or the latest operating system in place, which could leave them particularly vulnerable to these rogue applications.

One way to check if you're in the dark about mobile security is to take our free online test, which also gives advice on how to protect your device.

The following tips may also help to secure your mobile device:

•*Before downloading an application, check the author's website and other users' comments to make sure it is genuine.
•*Download an antivirus app for your phone – be sure to check reviews and search Google for information about the developer first to make sure it’s safe.
•*Try not to leave important data on your smartphone or tablet.
•*Avoid doing financial transactions or entering passwords over public Wi-Fi.
•*Set-up remote wipe and device location capabilities.
•*Check your phone is running the latest version of the operating system.
•*Create a strong password (long but memorable) and set your screen to lock after five minutes or less.
•*Think carefully before allowing an application access to your data on the device.

There’s more information in our guides on mobile security and avoiding cybercrime.






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