So why is this attack hurting Android users, while iPhone fans remain unscathed?
Well, that’s all to do with the open nature of Android. The fact you can install pretty much anything on these devices is one of the reasons many choose them over Apple’s fully locked down smartphones.
iPhone owners can only download and install files directly from the App Store, but that’s not the case with Android.
One of the main ways users can install apps and services is using a filetype known as an APK, which works like those .exe or .dmg installation files you’ll find on Windows and Mac, respectively. Like those desktop operating systems, Android users can download those files straight from the web.
And it’s exactly this that’s putting owners at risk in this latest attack as the FluBot virus is sent to phones via a hidden APK. So, clicking on the link in the text message – to find out what DHL is supposedly going to deliver to your house – loads a blank website that begins to download the APK in the background. For iPhone owners, this process is blocked… so the website appears blank and nothing happens.
Published at Sun, 09 May 2021 06:39:00 +0000
New threat wreaks havoc on Android, but iPhone owners can breathe a sigh of relief
