Windows Phone, Android and jail broken iOS devices are under attack from a complex malware strain

A new malware strain, confirmed by Kaspersky Labs, is making the rounds. The equal-opportunity bug is finding its way to handsets powered by Windows Phone and Android. Jail broken Apple iPhone units have also been infected, as have some Android apps running on BlackBerry handsets. The malware, called "Inception-Cloud Atlas" is apparently targeted at business executives, military leaders and diplomats.

The size and complexity of the malware suggests that it was created with the help of a government, according to reports released this week. The party behind the malware has gone to a great deal of deception to prevent anyone from learning who is behind the attacks. What is known, is that stolen data is being stored on free accounts belonging to Swiss cloud storage service CloudMe. Infected Android users have their incoming and outgoing calls recorded to MP4 files that are uploaded to those behind the attacks.

The malware is disguised as an update for messaging app WhatsApp, so your best bet is to avoid updating WhatsApp on your phone unless it comes directly from the Windows Phone Store, the Google Play Store or the App Store. Even if you're not a high-ranking military leader, or a business executive, you should take some time to make sure that you have some safeguards in place. If you're an Android user, do not install apps from untrusted sources. And iOS users might want to think twice about jailbreaking their iPhone.


According to a couple of reports on the subject, the top five targeted countries for this malware include Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, India, and the Czech Republic. Other countries in the crosshairs are Romania, Venezuela, Mozambique, Paraguay, Romania, and Turkey. Even if you are living outside of these hot spots, it always is wise to make sure you implicitly trust the source of every application you download and install on your device.

source: KasperskyLabs, BlueCoat via ArsTechnica, RedmondPie