Malware uses Google Talk to make malicious phone calls

[JMH]

We found a new piece of mobile malware, Android/Trojan.Pawost, that’s using Google Talk to make malicious calls.


As soon as the malicious app is opened, a blank Google Talk icon pops up in the notifications of the mobile device.





Wait a couple of minutes, and all of a sudden your mobile device will make an unwarranted outgoing call to a number with an area code of 259.





The area code 259 is unassigned to any region in the United States and considered to be invalid.


It is also an unassigned area code for the country from which Pawost originates, China. According to computerhope.com, an incoming call from an unassigned area code means the phone number was likely caller ID spoofed; a trick often used by telemarketers/scammers to hide the originating phone number.


An outgoing call to an unassigned phone number is a little more unusual.

Malware Uses Google Talk To Make Malicious Phone Calls | Malwarebytes Labs

 

[EvilClivE]

According to SC Magazine, in a quaintly named article "Dial M for malware"

Dialing the numbers with the U.S. country code +1 resulted in invalid numbers, but using the Chinese country code +86 worked, generating a series of busy signals.
This supports the idea that these are Chinese phone numbers, targeting a Chinese user base.

Highlights the dangers of installing apps from less than reputable, 3rd party sources...