Android SMS malware suspected authors caught in France

French anti-cybercrime authorities have filed charges against at least two men over an SMS scam targeting phones that run Google's Android OS.

 

Computer security firm Sophos reported the men were suspected of infecting more than 2,000 Android devices with the "Foncy" Trojan horse.

 

Sophos quoted French authorities as saying the two men alleged to be behind the malware earned up to 100,000 Euros from the scheme.

 

It also cited a Kaspersky Labs blog post describing how "Foncy" targeted European mobile phone users and had their devices incur premium-rate SMS services.

 

The men were charged in the Bobigny area of Paris, Sophos said.

 

On the other hand, Sophos noted "Foncy" also appeared in the form of a fake Electronic Arts Sports Madden NFL 2012 game.

 

Investigation showed "Foncy" exploited a vulnerability to root the Android phone, sending SMS messages and silently joining an IRC channel to receive further commands. — TJD, GMA News