One of the more recent discoveries resulting from the breach two weeks ago of malware-as-a-service provider Hacking Team is sure to interest Android enthusiasts. To wit, it's the source code to a fully featured malware suite that had the ability of infecting devices even when they were running newer versions of the Google-developed mobile operating system.
The leak of the code base for RCSAndroid—short for Remote Control System Android—is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it provides the blueprints to a sophisticated, real-world surveillance program that can help Google and others better defend the Android platform against malware attacks. On the other, it provides even unskilled hackers with all the raw materials they need to deploy what's arguably one of the world's more advanced Android surveillance suites.
"The RCSAndroid code can be considered one of the most professionally developed and sophisticated Android malware [titles] ever exposed," researchers from security firm McAfee wrote in a recently published blog post. "The leak of its code provides cybercriminals with a new weaponized resource for enhancing their surveillance operations."
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