“Godless” apps, some found in Google Play, can root 90% of Android phones

[HiFlyer 9,358]

Just a heads up........ 

 

http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/06/godless-apps-some-found-in-google-play-root-90-of-android-phones/

 

Researchers have detected a family of malicious apps, some that were available in Google Play, that contain malicious code capable of secretly rooting an estimated 90 percent of all Android phones.

 

In a recently published blog post, antivirus provider Trend Micro said that Godless, as the malware family has been dubbed, contains a collection of rooting exploits that works against virtually any device running Android 5.1 or earlier. That accounts for an estimated 90 percent of all Android devices. Members of the family have been found in a variety of app stores, including Google Play, and have been installed on more than 850,000 devices worldwide. Godless has struck hardest at users in India, Indonesia, and Thailand, but so far less than 2 percent of those infected are in the US.

 

Once an app with the malicious code is installed, it has the ability to pull from a vast repository of exploits to root the particular device it's running on. In that respect, the app functions something like the many available exploit kits that cause hacked websites to identify specific vulnerabilities in individual visitors' browsers and serve drive-by exploits.

[vc10man 732]

Thanks for that. But in all honesty I wish I knew how to root my Android and get rid of all the nefarious crap apps that Google installs by default and cannot be got rid of, most of it virtually all junk.

[bic 44]

Thanks for that. But in all honesty I wish I knew how to root my Android and get rid of all the nefarious crap apps that Google installs by default and cannot be got rid of, most of it virtually all junk.

 

If your really serious http://forum.xda-developers.com/  and it is usually not too hard.

 

I've done some rooting and it was worth it, but lately I have been satisfied with them as is.

[vc10man 732]

Thanks for that, bic.

[Glynn 405]

 

 

I knew how to root my Android and get rid of all the nefarious crap apps that Google installs by default and cannot be got rid of, most of it virtually all junk.

 

Easy, buy a Nexus or a Motorola, pure Android without bloat

[vc10man 732]

Easy, buy a Nexus or a Motorola, pure Android without bloat

Good suggestion as the Samsung Galaxy I got via Virgin Media came pre-loaded with bloat.

[Glynn 405]

There may be more but those were the two I found that delivered stock Android when I was in the market for a new phone, I specifically did not want anything that put its own customised UI over Android

[HiFlyer 9,358]

I rooted my current tablet, but it was more out of curiosity than anything, and honestly I would probably leave well enough alone in hindsight, as nothing amazing came of it........

[ViperPilot 81]

I've always been fearful of Rooting my Android tablet, just because I don't want to brick it.

 

After reading through the different Android Forums, it's also very dependent on the particular Mod and the Device; some built in features you originally had may be lost if one tries to Root, so read carefully.

 

Alan   :smile: