Articles by Vanja Svajcer

About Vanja Svajcer

Vanja is a Principal Virus Researcher in SophosLabs. He has been working for Sophos since 1998. His major interests include automated analysis systems, honeypots and malware for mobile devices. Vanja is always ready for a good discussion on various security topics.

Is Google Bouncer going to bounce all malware from the Android Market?

by Vanja Svajcer on February 3, 2012 | 4 Comments

Google has pleasantly surprised the mobile malware research community when it announced yesterday that Android apps are analysed for malicious behavior before being allowed onto the Android Market, but is it all good news? Vanja Svajcer, Sophos Principal Researcher, investigates.

Android Counterclank is (not) malware

by Vanja Svajcer on February 2, 2012 | 5 Comments

Despite the stint of very cold weather in Europe, Android malware scene is warming up. Vanja Svajcer finds an intriguing case for the difference of opinions on the classification of certain Android apps present in Google Android market.

Malicious cloned games attack Google Android Market

by Vanja Svajcer on December 12, 2011 | 4 Comments

A malicious developer has created copies of the most popular games on Google's Android Market and added code to send SMS messages to premium line numbers. The Android Market security team pulled the malicious apps from the market, but how many people do you think got stung before they were removed?

Adobe says goodbye to Flash for mobile platforms

by Vanja Svajcer on November 9, 2011 | 5 Comments

Adobe's decision to cease development of Flash Player for mobile platform removes a significant potential malware infection mechanism, primarily for Android as it is the most common mobile operating system supporting it.

SpyEye targeting Android users - just a copy of Zeus's strategy?

by Vanja Svajcer on September 16, 2011 | 8 Comments

After the discovery an Android edition of the Zeus malware kit we did not have to wait long for a SpyEye Android release.

Vanja Švajcer, SophosLabs Principal Resarcher, investigates the differences.

First malware using Android Gingerbreak root exploit

by Vanja Svajcer on August 22, 2011 | 3 Comments

Gingermaster is the first Android malware to take advantage of a privilege escalation exploit against Android version 2.3, a.k.a. Gingerbread.

Unfortunately, many device vendors have not yet updated their devices with the latest OS patches.

Zeus for Android and fake Kaspersky Antivirus 2011

by Vanja Svajcer on July 14, 2011 | 3 Comments

The discovery of Android based SMS spyware related to Zeus toolkit raised a lot of interest in the anti-malware community.

The latest malware adopts the disguise of a Kaspersky anti-virus product.

Android malware spies on your SMS messages - but is it part of the Zeus family?

by Vanja Svajcer on July 9, 2011 | 2 Comments

Has an Android version of the notorious Zeus malware family been discovered?

Plankton malware drifts into Android Market

by Vanja Svajcer on June 14, 2011 | 4 Comments

SophosLabs expert Vanja Svajcer takes a closer look at the latest malware hitting the Android Market.

Android market affected by SMS Trojans

by Vanja Svajcer on May 13, 2011 | 7 Comments

Android Market has been hit by another malware incident when a number of SMS sending Trojans have been published by unknown attackers. The incident was not as serious as the one in March when over 50 apps were affected by the Droid Dream malware, although any attack affecting Android Market is serious.

Android malware against software piracy

by Vanja Svajcer on April 1, 2011 | 3 Comments

A Trojan horse that attempts to protect developers of an Android app from piracy and punish users of cracked software has been discovered by SophosLabs. Vanja Svajcer investigates.

Fake Android Market Security tool delivers more than just a cure for Droid Dream malware

by Vanja Svajcer on March 10, 2011 | 4 Comments

Android malware writers are getting quite creative this month. This time they reacted quickly on the release of Google's Android Market Security tool and developed a fake version of the tool that delivers more than a cure for Droid Dream.