Android Trojan Tells Contacts You're a Pirate

[osxsier]

Because it is way more secure than iOS. Yes, you read that correctly. Look at the results of the most recent Pwn2Own event before you even think about replying to this.

Any platform can be compromised if you install malicious software on it, even the almighty Linux. This shouldn't take anything more than a grade-school education to understand. Just because you aren't smart enough to figure out that random pirated apps may be malicious doesn't mean that the rest of us should live in Apple's walled garden, being disallowed from installing anything they didn't approve.

Personally, I'd rather own a feature(less) phone with nothing more than a 10-key pad than own an iPhone. Then again, I buy a phone for functionality, not because "it makes me look cool".
Hint: iPhone doesn't really make you look cool, people just think it does.

Yeah, by all means, run unapproved apps and see what happens (i.e.read this article). Also, Google is closing up their source and taking back control of Android. So its not going to be "open" much longer.

Any OS is only as secure as the user behind the keyboard. Linux, Unix, Windows, OSX can all be hacked if your an idiot and leave things open.

I personally dont know anyone who bought an iPhone to look "cool" They buy it for the support, apps and games that are developed.

So basically its your OPINION in regards to iOS. And opinions are like assholes, everyones got one.

 

[milktea]

[citation][nom]Vampyrbyte[/nom]Seeing as this 'App' was designed, and presumably deliberately distributed by the means of a torrent. That is a legitimate way of obtaining it. The Authors are liable and have committed a crime by doing this. I hope they get their asses sued out of their pants so hard they can never shit themselves again.[/citation]
Well just because Symantec calls the app 'Walkinwat' a malware doesn't necessary means that it is a malware. It just doesn't run like the legit 'Walk and Text' app. So the user cannot complain and hold Walkinwat liable since they got the app from a pirated site which makes no guarantee of the functionality. Some call it a malware only because it functions differently then what is expected.
For example, if you bought a pirated CD/DVD, and later you found out that the pirated CD/DVD doesn't play because of whatever reason, then would you request a full refund from the pirated store?
To me the Walkinwat is just a completely different app that only shares the same name as the 'Walk and Text'. But does something totally different, and not a malware.

 

[bsbsbsbs]

[citation][nom]southernshark[/nom]Android is full of fail, why anyone would buy one of those phones is beyond me.[/citation]

You're smrat.

 

[Vampyrbyte]

[citation][nom]milktea[/nom]Well just because Symantec calls the app 'Walkinwat' a malware doesn't necessary means that it is a malware. It just doesn't run like the legit 'Walk and Text' app. So the user cannot complain and hold Walkinwat liable since they got the app from a pirated site which makes no guarantee of the functionality. Some call it a malware only because it functions differently then what is expected.For example, if you bought a pirated CD/DVD, and later you found out that the pirated CD/DVD doesn't play because of whatever reason, then would you request a full refund from the pirated store?To me the Walkinwat is just a completely different app that only shares the same name as the 'Walk and Text'. But does something totally different, and not a malware.[/citation]

You would be a bit of an idiot for buying a pirated DVD for a start but thats a little off topic.
I am calling the program malware because it seeks to do nothing other than cost the unsuspecting user money by using its contact list to send out messages. Its sole purpose is malicious. The creators of this specific app should, in my opinion, be held responsible for their actions.
Downloading this App is not piracy, as it will have been downloaded using its intended distribution method. However its effect on the user, and users network could be catastrophic. Aside from the general embarrassment and potential financial loss that any unsuspecting user may incur from this, you have to consider the effects an app like this could have on mobile phone networks should it reach widespread distribution, or through some coding error got stuck in a loop of sending the same message to the contacts list repeatedly. This could bring a network to its knees just like New Years day does.

You should also check for some definitions of Malware. I'm struggling to find how this does not fit into that software category.

 

[alidan]

so, walk and text, ligit ap, doesnt say anything bad.
walkinwat, the illegal pirate eddition, targets people and sends out a text saying im a pirate.

i see no wrong here. its all about being first. and they made sure they were first to the pirate space, not a thing wrong with that.

pirate at your own risk. some things like games are better pirated because they take out drm, this app added a virus and punished you for not buying it.

would have only been better if the company wrote a virus vaccine, sold it, and made a pirate version that gets rid of the text in the first one and replaces it with "OH GOD, the not only pirated the FIRST app, but also the VACCINE too, this person is UNSTOPPABLE"

 

[okibrian]

I will NEVER buy an app from a company that does this. You will only drive people away more from this product and any other app your company may make.

 

[WingedRayeth]

[citation][nom]Vampyrbyte[/nom]Downloading this App is not piracy, as it will have been downloaded using its intended distribution method.[/citation]


I have to agree with you, downloading Walkinwat is not piracy as it is a free app and it's distribution method was through torrent and file sharing sites. However this article leads me to believe that the only users affected by it were those trying to obtain a copy of the legitimate Walk and Text app through means of piracy, as the app is available for only $1.59 on the Android Market, and you would not need to go to torrent or file sharing sites to get it unless you were trying to get it for free, as in stealing it. As an app developer myself, I can't fault this creative way to prevent piracy.

 

[swamprat]

[citation][nom]Vampyrbyte[/nom]Seeing as this 'App' was designed, and presumably deliberately distributed by the means of a torrent. That is a legitimate way of obtaining it. The Authors are liable and have committed a crime by doing this. I hope they get their asses sued out of their pants so hard they can never shit themselves again.[/citation]

I'll also agree on the torrenting of the 'App' being the intended distribution method - however the people downloading it don't know that so I'd say that anyone trying to sue would at least have contributed a bit to their own loss (trojans etc being a known risk of piracy) and so might fail to get anywhere.

Assuming it was the developer that launched this, they could have been even more snide by having some manner of description/readme telling people what the torrented version would do. E.g. you link to their website setting out what the official version does, with a note that non-paid for version downloaded outside the market may send messages etc etc. (using 'may' rather than 'might' being a sneaky thing in itself) That way you can't even argue it's malware as it's just software with a stupid purpose.

 

[cookoy]

gathering user info and sending it to an external server is a crime too. hope they get their asses kick.

 

[Guest]

You can squabble back and forth about what U think about the "authors" of this program and the "users".
The simple facts are that it is illegal in a number of countries to write and distribute "malicious code" and it's easy to see why. It's equally easy to determin that the described "Trojan/App" is just that (malicious code).
It's irrelevant if the authors are the same as the ppl who wrote the legitimate "app", being "wronged"((e.g. having U'r app pirated)) doesn't in any way give U the right to break the law! Period! And the reason for that should be evident to any moderately intelligent person.

 

[eddieroolz]

These guys just sealed their fate for me. If I had an Android phone, I'd tell everyone to boycott these "developers".

 

[mayankleoboy1]

lol:

excellent for piraters