A virus has been circulating around Singapore, infecting mobile phones running Android through SMS.
First notified on Hardwarezone, a forum user alerts other Android smartphone users of an SMS being spread around with the message asking “Is this your photo?” and an attached link.
Anyone who clicks the URL will be prompted to install an app called the PhotoViewer — which is actually a malicious software and will access the user’s address book before sending a similar text message to other contacts. The malware seems to be a variant of the ransomware virus that has already wreaked havoc in the US.
The Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCERT) has since issued an advisory on their site regarding the virus yesterday with recommended procedures should users be infected — delete the SMS immediately, uninstall the PhotoViewer app and delete the Android Application Package file from the Downloads folder.
Photo: HardwareZone forums
A virus has been circulating around Singapore, infecting mobile phones running Android through SMS.
First notified on Hardwarezone, a forum user alerts other Android smartphone users of an SMS being spread around with the message asking “Is this your photo?” and an attached link.
Anyone who clicks the URL will be prompted to install an app called the PhotoViewer — which is actually a malicious software and will access the user’s address book before sending a similar text message to other contacts. The malware seems to be a variant of the ransomware virus that has already wreaked havoc in the US.
The Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCERT) has since issued an advisory on their site regarding the virus yesterday with recommended procedures should users be infected — delete the SMS immediately, uninstall the PhotoViewer app and delete the Android Application Package file from the Downloads folder.
Photo: HardwareZone forums