Security Alert for Android: A Tool That Turns Android Apps Into Malware Goes on Sale

Now, this is outrageous - a tool that trojanizes Android apps goes on sale, and anyone with $300 worth of Bitcoin can purchase the tool alongside with 24/7 support.

Dendroid threat was first discovered and analyzed by security company Symantec, the developer behind the Norton antivirus family of products. Being a RAT, remote access tool, it corrupts legitimate Android software inserting its code into the app's installer file, the APK.

The seller behind the Dendroid goes by the nickname 'Soccer,' and offers the product bundled with an apk binder that effectively glues the legitimate app's apk with the malicious functionality of Dendroid, which creates a legitimate-looking app that's malware-packed in its core.

A true nightmare for app developers and Google itself, Dendroid can very well penetrate the Google Play store unnoticed (sad statistics already exists about top paid apps on Google Play store being infected with malware).

However, there is one thing it can't do - corrupt the legitimate apps you already have installed on your device. Sadly enough, the corrupted apps get a nearly unlimited access to the victim's device, with full capability to delete call logs, or make phone calls to international numbers without the owner's knowledge, launch browsers and open web pages, intercept SMS, launch camera and microphone and secretly record videos of surroundings and phone calls, take and upload pictures.

The ad banner for Dendroid claims the virus can get the browser history and bookmarks alongside all the user contacts and existing accounts, launch applications, initiate a HTTP flood and change the command-and-control server, too.

Of course, Symantec's Norton Mobile Security already detects this threat, and we have yet to see whether other notorious mobile security suites catch up with the tide, so stay tuned to D3k! Meanwhile, our guide Android Tablet and Smartphone Security Basics should come in handy.