Android itself is a very open system. The advantage is that it is more free to develop and users can enjoy some advanced functions faster. The disadvantage is that it is more susceptible to malware attacks than other closed systems.
htmlOn October 9, mobile security company Zimperium discovered a new Android malware, RatMilad, which is said to be often used for cyber espionage, extortion or eavesdropping on conversations by aircraft owners. It is generally disguised as a variety of third-party text messages or telephone apps, or spread through links to social software.
It is worth noting that in order to make people believe in the legitimacy of the application, the cybercriminals behind it even created a website for this malware, giving people a sense of déjà vu as a formal APP. After downloading
, RatMilad will steal mobile phone data, including but not limited to SMS, call history, clipboard data, device information (for example, model, brand, build number, Android version), GPS location data, SIM card information, contact information, and installed application list.
More importantly, after stolen, RatMilad can delete mobile phone data and upload files to the specified server, modify APP permissions, use the mobile phone's microphone to record audio and eavesdrop on calls. According to Zimperium, the cybercriminals behind RatMilad take a random targeting approach, rather than targeting specific individuals and businesses.
Although I think there is no particularly important information on my phone, it is quite scary to think that this malware can delete data and eavesdrop on calls. Not long after, I was in a hurry. Because mobile security company Zimperium discovered that the malware is only found in Middle East , and we do not have it in our country.
But do you think it is safe in China? Don't be too young for young people.
RatMilad can read mobile phone data, including but not limited to SMS, call records, clipboard data, device information and other data. On the other hand, it seems that every APP now needs to obtain address books, which reminds people of the flashlight APP of that year.
is obviously just a flashlight APP. It only needs to turn on the phone flash, but it needs various permissions such as networking, contacts, call history, location, etc. Perhaps inadvertently, the information in your phone will be stolen by malware.
or download a new APP, and ask for various application permissions as soon as it is opened. If you don’t give it, you won’t let it use it. But if you give it, you won’t know what it wants to do with this information, such as a secondary sale.
So is there an APP that does not require permissions? Yes, its name is Li Tiaotiao, which specifically skips open-screen advertisements, but it is not about finding a way to delete the advertisement control after Root, but uses the accessibility function that comes with the phone to simulate the action of us clicking on the skip open-screen advertisement button.
For ordinary users, how to avoid malware? The most direct way is to download it from the official app store that comes with your phone. Now these first-party app stores are safer than in the past. For example, Apple will not allow sideloading, that is, downloading the APP through unofficial channels and has not undergone official review. The advantage of prohibiting sideloading by
is that if the app will have a negative impact on the system or hardware, it will be directly rejected, and even lead to the developer being removed from the list. If the app needs to be run in the background, it can only be used in specific scenarios, such as audio playback, etc.
The audit rules also make many provisions in the highly-attended personal data. Including minimizing data collection, not cheating or forcing users to agree to unnecessary data access, etc.
Android and HarmonyOS will ask whether to "allow installation of applications from unknown sources" when installing apps downloaded from other channels. The phone has a pure mode built-in mode, and only the apps downloaded from the app store are allowed. Other channels will automatically refuse to install them, which can avoid installing all kinds of messy apps on your phone because of clicking on a strange URL.
Although there is no magnificent solution, downloading the APP from the built-in app store alone is enough to avoid most malware. Even if you find that these formal APPs have some dishonest actions, you can manually close the permissions through the built-in application permission management of your phone, or query through the privacy protection function, which permissions the APP calls, now Android machines have these functions. Perhaps their UI is not beautiful enough, but it is also protecting your safe use every time.
In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will regularly publish APPs with problems, and you can find them with Baidu or WeChat official accounts. If you need them, you can know what problems there are in these APPs.
