Android Malware Infects Phones for Criminal ‘Zombie Army'

A new virus has hit hundreds of thousands of Android phones and is making them act as a zombie army for criminals.

News of the virus came from mobile security startup Lookout, according to BBC News, which labeled it NotCompatible and the "most sophisticated" malware seen lately. "The group behind NotCompatible are operating on a different plane to the typical mobile malware maker," Jeremy Linden, a security analyst at Lookout, told BBC News.

The NotCompatible virus has been working since 2012 but is in its third incarnation, Linden said. It now uses "end-to-end encryption, peer-to-peer networking technologies" and avoids being detected and removed. It's the perfect formula to create a network "rented out to any crime group," BBC News reported.
 
The scams generally mean that the phones are used to spew spam, scalp tickets and attack blogs. "This is the most technically sophisticated threat we are facing and it's the most worrying to us," said Mr Linden.
 
NotCompatible is usually downloaded from spam or websites, and any Android users should be leery of any app that requires a security update. 
 
Malware on smartphones has now become as sophisticated as those found on desktops, and users have to be just as vigilant. Don't download random security apps or download from unknown sites onto your phone. Instead, only download apps from established sites such as Google Play.
 
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