Stefan Mileschin

The Russian anti-virus vendor Doctor Web has found a new malicious program for Android which allows hacker groups to carry out mobile denial of service attacks.

Dubbed TheAndroid.DDoS.1.origin, it can turn any mobile phone into an attack device at the press of a button.

Android.DDoS.1.origin creates an application icon, similar to that of Google Play. If the user decides to use the fake icon to access Google Play, the application will be launched. This means that users will not even be aware that they have been infected.

The Trojan connects to a remote server and transmits the phone number of the compromised device to criminals and then waits for further SMS commands.

It can be used to attack a specified server or send an SMS.

It is apparently easy for criminals to send a command to attack a server all they have to do is put in the parameter [serverort]. When they do this the phone will hit the specified address with data packets.

It can also be used to send SMS spam.

The only way users can tell that they have been hit by the Trojan is if their phone connection performance is slower than a 150 year old hibernating turtle who has not had his first morning cup of coffee.

Their internet and SMS should go through the ceiling too, particularly if messages are sent to are premium numbers,

Dr Web thinks that the Trojan is spread using social engineering tricks although the source has not been found yet.

Writing in the company bog, Dr Web said that it is continuing to investigate the virus and hopes to come up with a few answers soon.

http://news.techeye.net/security/and...t-ddos-attacks