While investigating several Android Market applications that appeared to be duplicates, Reddit user lompolo discovered several apps that provide an extra, and definitely unwanted, service. The applications in question contain an exploit that, when downloaded, automatically root the Android handset. Not only that, the apps — 21 in total — also contain an embedded .apk file that can accept remote code and upload device information (like your IMEI) to a server in California. The malicious bundles were published by user Myournet and some of the individual applications have been downloaded over 50,000 times each. Once alerted of the potential malware, Google investigated and removed the code from the Market and users handsets. Unfortunately, that doesn’t have any effect on data already compromised by downloaders of the rogue applications. Google has yet to publicly comment on the incident.

UPDATE: More information about the exploit and affected applications can be found here.

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Ruh roh, as Scooby would say. Once relatively untouchable, security experts have now found what they claim to be two new pieces of malware specifically targeting OS X. The first, ‘OSX.RSPlug.D’, is a Trojan capable of rerouting internet traffic to a malicious DNS server which will draw users to phishing sites and ads. So far the only reported sources of the Trojan are porn sites where it sits masked as a codec needed to display certain videos. The second piece of malware, ‘OSX.Lamzev.A’, is much less of a threat. While is is surely capable of doing some serious damage by letting hackers install backdoors in an affected user’s system, a hacker would need physical access to the user’s computer in order to place it. This news might not be terribly huge for most users right now, odds are it is indeed a sign of things to come as Apple computers grow more popular thus drawing the attention and resources of malicious hackers. No need to panic for the time being however, just watch where you go for, err, entertainment.

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