Dogspectus: Android ransomware silently installs, demands $200 iTunes gift card ransom

Sure, a lot of people love music, movies, e-books and new apps, but the person behind the ransomware “Dogspectus” has taken it to the extreme of locking Android devices and demanding $200 in iTunes gifts cards to unlock each phone or tablet. Victims don’t even have to do something that might be considered security-stupid, such as accept new app install permissions, to wind up with an infected device; the “ransomware” is delivered via malicious ads and installs “silently in the background.”

How can that be? Say thanks once again to the flipping Hacking Team as Dogspectus uses a previously leaked Hacking Team exploit to deliver “Towelroot” which then installs the ransomware.

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