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"Illustration via Marco Ramilli\nFORTUNE &amp;#8212; Developers often complain about the hoops Apple \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAAPL\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\u00A0makes them jump through to get their wares into the iOS App Store. But the company has its reasons &amp;#8212; besides its 30% cut of the revenue &amp;#8212; and one of them was illustrated by the warning issued Friday by the FBI&amp;#8217;s\u00A0Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).\n&amp;#8220;The IC3 has been made aware of various malware attacking Android operating systems for mobile devices,&amp;#8221; it begins. &amp;#8220;Some of the latest known versions of this type of malware are Loozfon and FinFisher.&amp;#8221;\n\nLoozfon is an information-stealing piece of malware. Criminals use different variants to lure the victims. One version is a work-at-home opportunity that promises a profitable payday just for sending out email. A link within these advertisements leads to a website that is designed to push Loozfon on the user&amp;#8217;s device. The malicious application steals contact details from the user\u2019s address book and the infected device&amp;#8217;s phone number.\nFinFisher is a spyware capable of taking over the components of a mobile device. When installed the mobile device can be remotely controlled and monitored no matter where the Target is located. FinFisher can be easily transmitted to a Smartphone when the user visits a specific web link or opens a text message masquerading as a system update.\n\nFor owners of smartphones running on Google \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGOOG\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Android platform &amp;#8212; including those made by Samsung, Motorola and HTC &amp;#8212; the Bureau offer these safety tips:\n\nWhen purchasing a Smartphone, know the features of the device, including the default settings. Turn off features of the device not needed to minimize the attack surface of the device.\nDepending on the type of phone, the operating system may have encryption available. This can be used to protect the user&amp;#8217;s personal data in the case of loss or theft.\nWith the growth of the application market for mobile devices, users should look at the reviews of the developer/company who published the application.\nReview and understand the permissions you are giving when you download applications.\nPasscode protect your mobile device. This is the first layer of physical security to protect the contents of the device. In conjunction with the passcode, enable the screen lock feature after a few minutes of inactivity.\nObtain malware protection for your mobile device. Look for applications that specialize in antivirus or file integrity that helps protect your device from rogue applications and malware.\nBe aware of applications that enable Geo-location. The application will track the user&amp;#8217;s location anywhere. This application can be used for marketing, but can be used by malicious actors raising concerns of assisting a possible stalker and/or burglaries.\nJailbreak or rooting is used to remove certain restrictions imposed by the device manufacturer or cell phone carrier. This allows the user nearly unregulated control over what programs can be installed and how the device can be used. However, this procedure often involves exploiting significant security vulnerabilities and increases the attack surface of the device. Anytime a user, application or service runs in &amp;#8220;unrestricted&amp;#8221; or &amp;#8220;system&amp;#8221; level within an operation system, it allows any compromise to take full control of the device.\nDo not allow your device to connect to unknown wireless networks. These networks could be rogue access points that capture information passed between your device and a legitimate server.\nIf you decide to sell your device or trade it in, make sure you wipe the device (reset it to factory default) to avoid leaving personal data on the device.\nSmartphones require updates to run applications and firmware. If users neglect this it increases the risk of having their device hacked or compromised.\nAvoid clicking on or otherwise downloading software or links from unknown sources.\nUse the same precautions on your mobile phone as you would on your computer when using the Internet."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://fortune.com/2012/10/15/fbi-issues-android-warning/>