Security Flaw Could Give Hackers Complete Control Of Android Phones

Photo: t3.com.au

With almost everybody holding an android powered smartphone these days, and everything getting logged onto that one device, it becomes critical to understand how safe is it to let open everything that you have to this smartphone. It is stated that almost every other smartphone run on the android operating system consists of a flaw which gives hackers the chance to get access to every application that the user has installed on his device. Going by the statistics, if this is to be deemed of complete truth, more than 900 million handheld devices are at a very high risk globally.

Information through Bluebox Security

This information on the serious flaw coming with each android phone was brought to notice by the Technical Director of a security firm, Bluebox Security, Mr. Jeff Forristal. He further mentioned that if this is what he is seeing, it could almost give rise to a catastrophe. His statement claims that any hacker who’d want to get access to every sort of data on a user’s device, he would just need the installation of the “Trojan Horse” type malicious software and thats it. That would be enough to leave everything on the user's handheld open for the hacker’s access.



To make it easier to comprehend, the hacker has the supreme power to get every sort of information he wants out of an infected device. The hacker holds the ability to capture all the data on the user’s mobile which most likely has sensitive data. This could include pictures, private SMS, emailers, passwords to various IDs and other identification papers amongst other important things. The news is creepier for people who access their bank accounts on the internet through their smartphone.

Since the hole in the system flings open the access to the phone completely, even your transactions can be read and thus rendering your password and account unsafe too. The worst is.. Google does recognize the loophole! So its not something that you can dismiss as another rumour against Google’s strong operating system to pull its fan following down.

Technically Speaking….

Photo: zdnet.com

If you are trying to figure out how this whole phishing act takes place, lets explain you how. Every app is coded to run on the android operating system. Once a hacker realises he needs to break into the system of a smartphone and installs the virus, the flaw in the security system allows a certain change in the code of the app without causing any change to the cryptographic signature. Since the signature remains unaltered, the application still reads as authentic irrespective of the fact that it has been changed and modified by an external agent.

Progress in solving the issue and Precautions

The flaw had been brought into the notice of Google in the month of February this year. The vulnerability issue is supposed to hit devices that run on the version 1.6 or superlative. Post research and development on the same, it is confirmed that Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is the only mobile device as of yet that is free from the malware. Thus it clearly indicates that progress is being made in the right direction. Yet still, until something stringent is accommodated by the company, most companies advice android users to update their OS regularly and to only download the mobile apps that they are absolutely sure of.

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About The Author:
Adam Prattler is a corporate gifting consultant who works with 001flowerflower.com to come up with gifting schemes for employees in Hong Kong. His keen interest in technology is evident from his thorough posts on various technology issues.

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Cross Platform Application Development – Mobile User Base

The start Smartphones increasingly means there are more strength in both organizations and developers for mobile application development platform. Trade cannot afford to ask for a single iOS platform, and focuses on the Android operating system and elsewhere. Until the last platform requires to be focused mainly known for smart phone users are not simply the use of devices that run on specific frames.

It is important to have a mobile application that can run on all devices you are using. One of the main purposes why organizations are moving in the direction of cross-platform development because they cannot lose your money by using it as well as generate more revenue than another development process.

Unexpectedly, that using these organizations saves development costs.

# Process for Making

Development platform includes the use of different systems development platform mobile applications such as PhoneGap, MoSync, WidgetPad, Appcelerator, Rhomobile Whoop and helping to eliminate the time required to develop applications. Actually, this lowers the cost of making the applications.

The cross platform application development techniques using platforms have a reverse effect on the cost of application development. Similarly, the code generated by the programmer can continue as a perspective for different tasks produced by one of the many mobile operating framework for which it was created the final code.

If organizations have to make a capture application – stage similar code could be used as a starting development process. This is once again the company maintains a large money.

# For More

Cross platform development provides an opportunity for your brand to make more progress. Near its application is limited to iOS or Android devices. Your application connects to smart phone users cross on different mobile operating systems that connects to a broader base of mobile phone users mixed. Both Android and iOS are two operating systems are exceptionally famous and discussed with one another to become the largest mobile operating system in the world. As a result of that is right for your application to be in the audience focused. Why take risks, creating an application that works well and good on both the iOS and Android Smartphone.

The benefits of cross-platform development is gradually increasing and maintain. There is a lost conviction that this type of cross platform application development used for laundry purposes make scalable truly native applications.

# Conclusion

In any case, it is a traditional history to be dispersed, since it is quite conceivable for the development of applications that meets the destinations native platform all customers. It is a method of sealing the target mobile development that is specially made for business growth.

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About The Author:

This Guest Post Contributed by Nilesh Talaviya, working with Cygnet Infotech, top notch mobile app development company based in India. For more detail follow him at @nileshtalaviya

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92% of Android Application Found Under Malicious Attacks

Smartphone and Mobile malware are in cutthroat competition but if we look at the figures of last year, we reveal that mobile malware is leading than Smartphone makers. The third annual Mobile Threat report shows that during March 2012 to march 2013, mobile malware shoots at 614% with a 276259 malicious apps in mobile market, which shows a 155% increase in malicious apps. According to Juniper report, which is grounded on an analysis of more than 1.85 million mobile apps and vulnerability over different mobile operating systems (OS)?
The usage of OS is increasing; cybercriminals are becoming active. They target operating systems instead of cracking individual system. The report also revealed that Android is the most infected OS that carries 92% of all founded threats.
According to Canalys 2013, report Android dominates 59.5% market share in mobile apps where Apple was on the second position with a 19.3% and Microsoft is holding with an 18.1% market share.

The reason behind prevailing mobile malware on Android platform is not using updated android version. A report says that only 4% users were using updated android version. Mostly users use Gingerbread and Ice cream sandwich so they lack new security updates from Google. That does not mean that other operating systems like Apple iOS are not vulnerable.

The majority malware targets SMS, which were sent out unknown numbers set out by cybercriminals. The report said:

• 48% SMS Trojans recorded for malware attacks.
• 29% malware spreads due to fake installations.
• 19% malware came from Trojan Spy malware.

Major apps infected by cybercriminals are Google Play, Skype, Adobe Flash, and Angry Birds, Bad Pigs.
To minimize the risk of OS malware, users should have latest update OS version, never install app through third party, do not allow personal information on your device.
The Juniper report focuses on four indicators like increase in malware target, increase in third party downloads, holes in mobile payments, and fragmentation.

• In 2010, the count for Android malware was around 24%
• In 2011, the Android malware figure augmented to 47%
• In 2013, the Android malware figure grew to 92%
• More than 500 third party Android app stores carry mobile malware.
• Three out of five third party stores are from China and Russia.
• Less sophisticates mobile criminals focus on mobile payments via SMS Trojans and fake installers. According to report, they earn $10 on each download.
• 77% of Android malware came from SMS threat.

The Canalys report said that there is probably expectation of 1 billion of Android smartphones to dispatch in 2017. The reason behind prevailing Android malware is its open friendly ecosystem for apps and developers. Google has to work a lot to draw people to its Android version and make free them from mobile malware. Google need enhanced protection for mobile users and organizations and OEMs and software vendors must work in a focused way to lessen mobile threats and vulnerabilities.

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About The Author

Abel Wike lives in Delaware, USA. Head of fraud prevention division; she has four years experience on online security activities at ClickSSL.com. She recommends, use GeoTrust Anti Malware Scan to make malware free website.

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How To Remove The License Verification From Android App/Games Using Lucky Patcher

Hello guys, Today I'm going to show you how to remove the license verification from apps and games. License Verification can be found in all paid apps, to check if you actually bought the app/game or downloaded it from somewhere else. Well, today we will remove that license verification and use paid apps for free, or most of them.

For this tutorial we will be using AfterMath XHD, which is a paid game on Google Play, as a demo.

For this tutorial we need:

• Rooted Android Device
• Lucky Patcher (Can Be Downloaded here)
• A Paid game to try to remove the License Verification from it

So, before I remove the license from the game, the game doesn't start because our license is invalid
As you can see in the picture bellow:

Now launch Lucky Patcher, it WILL need root permissions so let it grant the root permissions. When it opens it shows the list of all the apps with Google Ads, License Verification, and some more. (You can see my tutorial about remove Google ads from apps HERE)

Click on the app or the game you want to patch, a screen with some information about the game will show, like the picture bellow:

Click on "Open Menu Of Patches" in the bottom of the page:

Click on "Remove License Verification" a list of patches will show

The patch you chose will be already selected for you, so just click on Apply, it will start processing

Now all you have to do is wait until it finishes and give you the result:

You're done! Now launch the app you patched, and it will work just fine!

This process can patch many apps, including famous ones like SPB Shell 3D! And the game above is one of top paid games in Google Store too.
Have fun, and try patching the apps you want!
Enjoy!

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How To Remove Google Ads From Android Apps - Lucky Patcher

Hello guys, Today I have an Android video tutorial for you!
We all hate Ads on apps, they're disturbing, and we don't really want to pay just to remove them.. So today I will show you how to remove them from your apps
For this tutorial you need:
1. A Rooted Android Device
2. Lucky Patcher (Download HERE)
3. An App With Google Ads

As usual the video is AVAILABLE IN HD, and its best played in HD!

Vimeo Link:

https://vimeo.com/65024892

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How To Install Backtrack In An Android Device - The Easiest Way

Hello guys, today I'm going to show you the easiest way to install backtrack on an android device.
For this tutorial you need:

• Rooted android device
• Linux installer (Can be found on Google play)
• Zarchiver (Can be found on Google play)
• Busybox (Can be found on Google play)
• Android-VNC (Can be found on Google play)
• Terminal  Emulator (Can be found on Google play)

All of the programs mentioned above are free.

Ok, now let's start,

The first thing you need to do is install Busybox from Google play:

Install it, then open it when it's done, it will install some more things.

When it's done, install Linux Installer from Google Play:

Open Linux installer, then click on Install Guides from the list on your right hand side:

When you click that, you'll see a list of Linux distros, click on Backtrack and you will see a screen with steps on how to install it. Now click on the second page of those steps, you will get a page that looks like this:

Just click on "Download Image", and let it finish downloading.

While it's downloading, open Google play and install Terminal Emulator, and Zarchiver.

Terminal Emulator:

Zarchiver:

When it finishes downloading, open Zarchiver, and look for the ZIP file that you downloaded, and extraxt the image into a root folder called "backtrack", extract the image into an external memory card not the internal one.

Once it's done, open Linux Installer again, and click on launch, you'll get a screen that looks like this:

If it didn't recognize any distro, click on Setting > Edit then change the file path there to your backtrack image, the .img file that you extracted.

When it finally say "backtrack" on the drop down list, click "Start Linux" 

Terminal Emulator will open, you just have to proceed with the installation steps, ask you for a new password, and some preferences. When it's done you will get a red "root@localhost~#" like the picture bellow:

You are now in backtrack!

Now if you want backtrack in GUI, open Google play, and install Android VNC:

Open It when it finishes installing, and it will look like this:

Set to the same settings in the picture, but not the IP address, you can get your IP by opening backtrack terminal, in terminal emulator, and running "ifconfig" command:

Settings for VNC are,

Username: backtrack

Password: backtrac

IP: from the "ifconfig" command or just put 127.0.0.1 

Color Format: 24-bit

Now click connect, and boom! You'r in backtrack Desktop! ;)

When you finis using it, remember to disconnect VNC  AND exit backtrack in Terminal Emulator, else it will be taking your battery in the background.

And note that Ubuntu can be installed in the same exact way, just the username and password for VNC will change.

That's it guys, enjoy! :)

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