Lookout Mobile Security has identified 26 new apps on the Android Market presumed to include the DroidDream malicious code that hit Android Market a few months ago. These 26 applications were found thanks to Android developers that noticed their apps being repackaged and uploaded to the Market under a different developer name. These developers notified Lookout Mobile Security who identified them as malware after putting the apps through their scanning software. After alerting Google, all 26 apps that were known to be infected were removed from the Google Android Market.
You can never beat common sense when installing anything onto your device but Lookout Mobile Security makes it so much easier. Always make sure to check exactly what permission newly installed apps are requesting BEFORE YOU INSTALL and not after. Although, I’ve also heard that apps don’t necessarily need to display all permissions they require if a developer doesn’t want it to.
Hopefully Google can start scanning the apps themselves as they are uploaded and require some sort of approval process. I’m not saying that they need to decide who can and cannot place their apps in the market, more of a quick check that the app doesn’t already exist and that there isn’t a flipping virus in it. I download apps from all over the place but those that only use the Google Market should be safe even those without common sense.