James Delahunty
23 Oct 2012 11:44
French man arrested for mobile malware.
The 20 year old reportedly worked out of his parents basement, where he wrote rogue Android apps that came laced with malicious code. The malware sent premium SMS messages, which affected over 17,000 victims, and netted the alleged author about half a million euros since 2011.
The malware also stole usernames and passwords from gaming and gambling sites accessed by the owners.
He admitted his guilt shortly after his arrest, but stressed that his actions were not motivated by greed, but rather by a love for computer technology.
Rogue apps are becoming a big problem for Android. They mimic other popular apps, such as Instagram, Skype and Angry Birds, but they come loaded with extra nasties, often leaving the owner of the handset with a huge bill for premium SMS.