Security Blog

The recent incidents of personal information leakage have attracted much public attention. Have you been worrying about your own data privacy? Do you know what risks are associated with storing data on the computer? What measures are available to mitigate these risks? This guideline is divided...

  Favourite Security Reads of the Week (28 Mar 2014)   "Favourite Security Reads of the Week". Each week we share five news or articles that we like. We hope you will love this column and we welcome your comment via email to hkcert@hkcert....

  Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team (HKCERT) Coordination Centre cooperates with the National Institute of Network and Information Security (NINIS) for detecting malicious and suspicious behaviors of Apps from the Google Play Store, in order to study the security risk of apps in the Google Play Store in Hong Kong area. NINIS provides us analyzed result, and we collate the detection result and publish security alerts to the public.   In the report of March, we have downloaded 168 apps from Play Store, where 10 apps have been identified as high risk. 1 of them was removed from Play Store (on or before 27-March). The detail of report is shown as follow.   Target scope: Top 50 Free Applications in Hong Kong area Top 50 New Free Applications in Hong Kong area Top 50 Free Games in Hong Kong area Top 50 New Free Games in Hong Kong area   Scanned Apps Successful downloaded and scanned: 168 apps Unable to download via the system: 32 apps Downloaded date: 5-March 2014 List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]   Analysis Overview   In this analysis, 168 apps were scanned for bad behaviors. Based on the level of security threat, the apps were divided into 2 categories: apps with malicious and apps with suspicious behaviors. Malicious behavior refers to apps having malicious purpose explicitly, which could cause direct harm to systems and users' interests. Suspicious behavior refers to apps having behavior, which could cause direct harm to systems and users' interests, but no malicious behavior can be explicitly identified.   1. Scanning Result   Among the 168 scanned apps, 10 apps were identified as security high risk. These 10 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures Android.Trojan.Generic, Android.Adware.AirPush.A, ApplicUnwnt, Android.Adware.Waps, Android.Adware.Domob, Android.Adware.LeadBolt, Android.Adware.RevMob, Android/AdLoad.B.Gen, etc.   List of security high risk apps   Application High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal Status # 1. 千寻影视HD  v1.2.1 Category: Top Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: Obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, read phone number, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information. AndroidOS.Domob Android.Adware.Waps 8/50 [Link] Available on play store 2. PPS影(HD版)  v1.6.1 Category: Top Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: Obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, connect to the Internet, call camera...

  Favourite Security Reads of the Week (21 Mar 2014)   "Favourite Security Reads of the Week". Each week we share five news or articles that we like. We hope you will love this column and we welcome your comment via email to hkcert@hkcert...

Microsoft has announced the end of support (EOS) for Windows XP (WinXP) on 8 Apr 2014 (Note 1). After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide support and security patch for WinXP. Microsoft will continue to provide patch for supported versions of...

  Favourite Security Reads of the Week (14 Mar 2014)   "Favourite Security Reads of the Week". Each week we share five news or articles that we like. We hope you will love this column and we welcome your comment via email to hkcert@hkcert....

  Favourite Security Reads of the Week (07 Mar 2014)   "Favourite Security Reads of the Week". Each week we share five news or articles that we like. We hope you will love this column and we welcome your comment via email to hkcert@hkcert....

March 2014 Issue of Security Newsletter is available now: /my_url/en/newsletter/1403   Cover Story Hong Kong Security Watch Report (Q4 2013) APCERT embarks on global coordination to counter cyber-ops Safe Mode in Android Hot Topic Hong...

  Favourite Security Reads of the Week (28 Feb 2014)   "Favourite Security Reads of the Week". Each week we share five news or articles that we like. We hope you will love this column and we welcome your comment via email to hkcert@hkcert....

 Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team (HKCERT) Coordination Centre cooperates with the National Institute of Network and Information Security (NINIS) for detecting malicious and suspicious behaviors of Apps from the Google Play Store, in order to study the security risk of apps in the Google Play Store in Hong Kong area. NINIS provides us analyzed result, and we collate the detection result and publish security alerts to the public.   In the report of February, we have downloaded 161 apps from Play Store, where 13 apps have been identified as high risk. 2 of them were removed from Play Store (on or before 26-February). The detail of report is shown as follow.   Target scope Top 50 Free Applications in Hong Kong area Top 50 New Free Applications in Hong Kong area Top 50 Free Games in Hong Kong area Top 50 New Free Games in Hong Kong area   Scanned Apps Successful downloaded and scanned: 161 apps Unable to download via the system: 39 apps Downloaded date: 5-February 2014 List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]   Analysis Overview   In this analysis, 161 apps were scanned for bad behaviors. Based on the level of security threat, the apps were divided into 2 categories: apps with malicious and apps with suspicious behaviors. Malicious behavior refers to apps having malicious purpose explicitly, which could cause direct harm to systems and users' interests. Suspicious behavior refers to apps having behavior, which could cause direct harm to systems and users' interests, but no malicious behavior can be explicitly identified.   1. Scanning Result   Among the 161 scanned apps, 13 apps were identified as security high risk. These 13 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures Android.Trojan.Generic, Android.Adware.AirPush, Android.Adware.Dowgin, Android.Adware.LeadBolt, Android.Adware.Domob, android.AdWare.KyView, and ApplicUnwnt.   List of security high risk apps   Application High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal Status # 1. 千寻影视  v2.2.2 Category: Top Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call...