Android Smartphones Hit By SMS-Sending Trojan

Mobile security is grabbing headlines as researchers say they've unearthed the first SMS Trojan targeting mobile devices running Android.

Security researchers at Kaspersky Lab say they've found the first SMS Trojan targeting mobile devices running the Android mobile operating system in Russia.

Dubbed Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a, the malicious code disguises itself as an innocuous-looking "Movie Player" application for viewing media content on the mobile device.

However, once users voluntarily agree to install the app, the Trojan proceeds to send SMS messages to premium-rate numbers charging several dollars per message without the smartphone owner's knowledge or consent.

Thus far, according to an alert on the Kaspersky website, the Trojan has only affected Android smartphone users in Russia subscribing to Russian wireless networks. It's not been found in the Android Market application store either, though Android's growing popularity makes it a likely target of malware distributors.

Read the full story with details of the Android mobile security threat, "SMS-Sending Trojan Targets Android Smartphones," at ESecurityPlanet.com.