Android security is a frequent topic of conversation. Either because of the advances in this matter incorporated by the developers in the latest versions of the software, or because of the number of viruses and attacks of all kinds that it receives with some frequency, the green robot platform is also a leader in everything related to the protection of users when using their tablets or smartphones. Factors such as back doors or open source, which allows, at first glance, the entrance of anyone to the same brain of the interface, are, for many, important vulnerabilities that can compromise the information and the terminals of millions of users.
In the debate on freedom and fullfilment of security requirements, also extended to the consumer electronics sector, the role that Google is adopting is complex, since on the one hand, some manufacturers are choosing to develop their own software and on the other, those of Mountain View consider making it difficult to enter the source codes in order to complicate things for hackers. In the center of all this context, attacks such as Godless, which has reappeared just two days ago in the environment of the green robot. Next we tell you more about this malware, what are its most dangerous characteristics and also, how to prevent its entry.
An old enemy
The threat that landed a few days ago in front of millions of Android tablets and smartphones has been known to both software creators and users for a long time. Godless belongs to a family of viruses appeared a few years ago, which uses Google Play application packages to enter devices without the user's knowledge and thus infect them. Its first modalities installed an app automatically with which the hackers accessed the personal data of the victims and downloaded all kinds of products under their name.
How does it attack?
The difference of the new variant of Godless with respect to its predecessors comes in the way of attacking. Through some elements called «android root tools«, The malware directly accesses the administrator permissions and root the device, with which it acquires absolute control over it. With this, not only personal information about the user and other relevant data from the terminal are obtained, but it also gives the hacker the ability to download, once again, apps of any kind remotely. Another of the most dangerous points of this virus is the espionage of the supports and the contents that we host in the galleries. If we have been attacked, at first we will not be aware of it since the virus waits for our tablet or smartphone to be turned off to root it. Once you have completed this task, a file named "_image" difficult to eliminate.
Who does it affect and what is its impact?
According to data from TrendMicro, this malware is dangerous for all terminals that have versions of Android prior to 5.1, the latter included. This gives an incidence rate of more than 90% of all the existing terminals in the world today that run with the green robot software. According to this company, the most infected countries are India and Indonesia, which account for more than half of the approximately 850.000 devices that have been attacked by Godless. However, it has also reached other countries such as the United States and Russia.
What apps contain it?
As with many other viruses, the transmission channel for this virus is WiFi networks applications, copies of the games most popular existing today in Google Play and also, tools such as flashlights and of which Summer Flashlight is the clearest example shown by Google. It should be noted that, despite the fact that the number of fraudulent products with this virus is high, those of Mountain View are eliminating all of them using as a reference the history of products launched by their developers and the number of vulnerabilities to which they are have previously exhibited.
How to prevent it?
The recipe used to avoid being infected by this malware is the one known to all and that we can apply to most viruses and other elements that can harm our Android tablets and smartphones. First of all, a antivirus Powerful containing up-to-date databases and filters. Second, download only those applications endorsed by Google and come from leading developers. Finally, browsing only fully trusted websites that have all the necessary certificates that guarantee a safe Internet experience.
When it comes to knowing all the important threats that we can face when using our Android devices, we must not panic since, as we have mentioned on other occasions, most of the threats are detected in time and, in In the case of those that manage to make the leap to users, with prudence and common sense, we can effectively dodge attacks. After learning more about Godless, do you think that it is a malware whose impact may be very limited and that it will not increase the number of vulnerable media? You have more related information available, such as a list with everything we must do if our tablets have been infected so that you can act effectively against the actions of hackers.