Fake pirated Walk and Text Android app embarrasses pirates and steals sensitive data

Symantec is reporting that they have detected a malicious Android app doing the rounds on file-sharing sites in the US and Asia. The fake application impersonates a pirated version of an app called Walk and Text, which lets you overlay a keyboard on a live feed from your phone's camera to avoid crashing into things while walking and texting, and is currently available in the Android Market for less than $2.

When the fake app is launched it throws up a simulated dialog showing the Walk and Text app being 'cracked,' but actually what it's doing is collecting your private information including your IMEI, phone number, username, and scanning your address book. The virus then attempts to send that information back to a remote server, but also sends out an SMS to everyone in your address book with the text shown above and a warning that the application isn't licensed with links to buy the real thing:

Symantec has dubbed the malicious application as the Android.Walkinwat Trojan and categorised it with a 'Very Low' risk level 1. While we can agree with the developer's sentiment, we can't condone their actions; but if you get hit by this Trojan and a nasty invasion of privacy, you've only got one person to blame.

Fake pirated Walk and Text Android app embarrasses pirates and steals sensitive data originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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