Malicious code was found in a patch disguised as an official Google update designed to remove malware from Android-powered smartphones, according to security firm Symantec.
The impostor Android smartphone security patch was discovered at third-party Chinese marketplace and is called “Android Market Security Tool,” the same title Google gave its authentic over-the-air update.
Symantec’s find is the latest development in the wake of a hack on about 50 Android apps at the Android Market that affected approximately 260,000 downloads.
The outbreak of the DroidDream malicious code prompted Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) to take measures to shore up smartphone security for the family of Android handsets and to issue an over-the-air update to remove the malware from users’ handsets.