Security Bulletin – Gooligan attacks Android

All Android mobile phone users are being urged to make sure they have security on their devices and not to install any third party applications.

In a recent article by Forbes online, it was reported that “A new variant of Android malware is responsible for what’s believed to be the biggest single theft of Google accounts on record. The so-called Gooligan strain has infected as many as 1.3 million Android phones since August, completely prising the devices open and stealing the tokens users are given to verify they are authorized to access accounts. Its main aim, though, is not to pilfer all that juicy data in Gmail or Docs, but to force users into downloading apps as part of a huge advertising fraud scheme, making as much as $320,000 a month.”

The Gooligan malware has been spreading rapidly, on average 13,000 new infections are being reported daily.

Gooligan roots the mobile device, takes control, then siphons them off to a remote server and can be used to gain access to Gmail, Docs, Drive, Photos and other data.

Android devices running version 6 or later should be unaffected but precautions should still be taken.  If you have users with Android devices which could hold company information in emails or documents, please ensure they are aware of the threat posed by Gooligan and take the necessary steps to ensure their device is secure.

Please contact us at Atlas on 0333 666 3330 if you would like any further information, security audits can be arranged on request.