Security Blog

  Favourite Security Reads of the Week (6 Sep 2013)   "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 (30 Aug 2013)   "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@...

  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 August, we have downloaded 184 apps from Play Store, where 6 apps have been identified as high risk. 3 of them were removed from Play Store (on or before 20-August). 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: 184 apps Unable to download via the system: 16 apps Downloaded date: 5-August 2013 List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]   Analysis Overview   In this analysis, 184 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 behavior pose malicious level of security risk, which can be identified explicitly, that causes security threat to users. Suspicious behavior refers to apps behavior pose certain level of security risk, but no malicious behavior can be explicitly identified.   1. Scanning Result   Among the 184 scanned apps, 6 apps were identified as security high risk. These 6 Apps were identified with a high risk behavior signature, Android.Trojan.Genericor; and high risk Ad plug-in, Android.Adware.Plankton, Android.Adware.Adwo, Android.Adware.AirPush and Android.Counterclank. The behaviors can put user's device and its information at risk. It can also steal user's private information, such as phone number, network status, and email account.   List of security high risk apps   Application High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in Malware detection ratio Status # 1. 空空高清影院(激情版) v2.1.4 Category: New Free Applications Installs: 50,000-250,000 High risk behavior description: It is an Ad plug-in bundled with App, ...

   Favourite Security Reads of the Week (23 Aug 2013)   "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 (16 Aug 2013)   "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 (9 Aug 2013)   "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 (2 Aug 2013)   "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 [email protected].    Below is the Favourite Security Reads of this Week.   1.Cheating and Bullying: It’s a Bigger Problem than You Think! (McAfee, 31 Jul 2013) 2.Keep Your Laptop Safe While Surfing through Wi-Fi Hotspots (Infographic) (Hot for Security, 31 Jul 2013) 3.Security 101: Directory Harvesting Attacks (DHA) (Fortinet, 31 Jul 2013) 4.Surfing Safe on the Road (F-Secure, 29 Jul 2013) 5.認識惡意威脅:病毒（Virus）,木馬（Trojan Horse）等11 個網路威脅定義及安全小秘訣 (雲端運算與網路安全趨勢部落格, ...

Amid increasing public concern over cyber threats, the local information security watchdog - the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT) advises enterprises and Internet users to keep their security measures up to date, and guard against rising attacks on web servers and mobile...

HKCERT has released the Hong Kong Google Play Store’s Apps Security Risk Report (July 2013).   In the report of July, 186 apps were downloaded from Play Store, where 3 apps have been identified as high risk. Their malicious behaviors included: connecting to...

  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 for Hong Kong area. NINIS provides us analyzed result, and we collate the detection result and publishes security alerts to the public.   In the report of July, 186 apps were downloaded from Play Store, where 3 apps have been identified as high risk. 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: 186 apps Unable to download via the system: 14 apps Downloaded date: 5-July 2013 List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1"   Analysis Overview   In this analysis, 186 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 behavior pose malicious level of security risk, which can be identified explicitly, that causes security threat to users. Suspicious behavior refers to apps behavior pose certain level of security risk, but no malicious behavior can be explicitly identified.   1. Scanning Result   Among the 186 scanned apps, 3 apps were identified as security high risk. These 3 Apps were identified with a high risk behavior signature, a.remote.GingerMaster or Android.Trojan.InfoStealer. a.remote.GingerMaster, can connect to the Internet in background, and get the commands from server, to undermine the systems, disclose the information of IMEI, IMSI, and geo-location, etc. Also, it illegally tries to gain the root permission, and install malware silently. Android.Trojan.InfoStealer, is an online banking fraud, which is a Trojan generation tool. Intruder can modify the tool based on the property of target game, and produce a Trojan for the target game.   List of security high risk apps   No. App High risk behavior signature Detail behavior Ad plug-in 1 神魔龍鬥士OL-萬神之王 Android.Trojan.InfoStealer It is an online banking fraud, which is a Trojan generation tool. Intruder can modify the tool based on the property of target game, and produce a ...