by Paul Ducklin
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has just published an official public service announcement headlined with with a very specific warning: Cybercriminals Targeting Victims through Mobile Beta-Testing Applications.
The Feds didn’t go as far as naming any specific vendors or services here, but one of the main reasons that crooks go down the “beta-testing” route is to lure users of Apple iPhones into installing software that didn’t come from the App Store.
(We’re guessing that explicitly naming Apple would not only be a bit unfair, but might also give a false sense of security to anyone who doesn’t have an Apple-branded phone, because the general lessons to be learned here apply to all types of mobile phone, and even, by extension, to all sorts of software on all sorts of device.)
Using rarity and privilege as a lure
Some iPhone users feel secure against malware, spyware, rogueware and scamware simply because Apple insists that iPhone (and iPad apps, for that matter) must be acquired from the App Store.
Android users start out in a similar world, with installs allowed by default only from Google Play, but they have the option to go “off-market” if they want, and fetch apps from unofficial sources.
In contrast, even iPhone apps that are 100% free must be submitted by the vendor to the App Store to become available for download, and downloaded by the user from the App Store for installation.
But there are at least two ways to get what amount to u ..
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