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Hit by Android malware? Enter to win a free windows phone!

cheezy321

cheezy321

Diamond Member
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/...are-victims-free-windows-phone-handsets/17106

Summary: Anyone suffering Droidrage?

Microsoft has kicked off a new social media marketing campaign - tell them your Android malware horror stories in exchange for a chance to win a free Windows Phone handset.

Note: Just to be clear, not everyone gets a handset, there are five up for grabs.

Ben Rudolph, Microsoft’s Windows Phone “evangelist”, kicked off the #droidrage campaign on Twitter:
Click to expand...

A creative and funny contest by microsoft? Color me shocked!

Share your android malware story and enter to win a free windows phone.
 
Thus far, all the Android malware stories have been nothing but fear mongering. Nothing substantial, unless you count the malware that carriers/manufacturers install like Carrier IQ. I don't think thats what MS means when they want malware stories though.
 
zsdersw said:
In other words, Microsoft is giving 5 phones, for free, to 5 idiots.
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a free phone's free, I don't do contracts so if I could get get a free WM7 phone and use it on my pre paid account I'd be happy. WM7's nicer than Android imho. I shall enter this contest, who knows maybe I'll be one of the idiots you mentioned will win.
 
My wife was having ads show up in her notification bar. Did a little research and found they are called "Airpush" ads. Got an app to detect which of her installed apps was responsible and uninstalled it.

I didn't like the ads but they weren't exactly malware, they're not even as bad as, say, pop-ups because they don't get in your face.
 
QueBert said:
a free phone's free, I don't do contracts so if I could get get a free WM7 phone and use it on my pre paid account I'd be happy. WM7's nicer than Android imho. I shall enter this contest, who knows maybe I'll be one of the idiots you mentioned will win.
Click to expand...

The "5 idiots" are people who think they have a malware problem on their Android phone.
 
zsdersw said:
The "5 idiots" are people who think they have a malware problem on their Android phone.
Click to expand...

There are some legit reports of malware on Android phones (google it) and last time I checked about 40 MILLION people had downloaded one of the many AV apps in the Market. But I guess because you haven't had a problem, nobody has right? Even if it's only been a few people, there's enough worry to where millions of people have bought an AV app in the market and tens of millions have downloaded a free one. So at worst the perception is there.
 
QueBert said:
There are some legit reports of malware on Android phones (google it) and last time I checked about 40 MILLION people had downloaded one of the many AV apps in the Market. But I guess because you haven't had a problem, nobody has right? Even if it's only been a few people, there's enough worry to where millions of people have bought an AV app in the market and tens of millions have downloaded a free one. So at worst the perception is there.
Click to expand...

Lots of people use Internet Explorer, too, but that doesn't make it smart or necessary to do so.

There's lots of worry out there for lots of reasons about lots of different things. That doesn't mean the worry is justified.
 
QueBert said:
There are some legit reports of malware on Android phones (google it) and last time I checked about 40 MILLION people had downloaded one of the many AV apps in the Market. But I guess because you haven't had a problem, nobody has right? Even if it's only been a few people, there's enough worry to where millions of people have bought an AV app in the market and tens of millions have downloaded a free one. So at worst the perception is there.
Click to expand...

The AV apps can't even actually DO anything. The sandbox model in Android means they have no ability to scan another app in memory or stop it from running.
 
QueBert said:
There are some legit reports of malware on Android phones (google it) and last time I checked about 40 MILLION people had downloaded one of the many AV apps in the Market. But I guess because you haven't had a problem, nobody has right? Even if it's only been a few people, there's enough worry to where millions of people have bought an AV app in the market and tens of millions have downloaded a free one. So at worst the perception is there.
Click to expand...

How many people downloaded the AV apps because a sales person told them to, or because they saw an advert for it, or because they read some blog talking about malware? Just because the apps exist, doesn't mean they are actually useful or necessary or even good. Nearly all the malware stories targeted at Android have been overblown and blatantly false, aimed at drumming up hit counts to their blogs and nothing more.
 
I've never been infected by malware on my Android phone. I don't know anyone that has. I don't know anyone that was infected on their iPhones either. What is MS talking about?
 
Red Storm said:
Are you posting this in agreement with him? Cause the article clearly shows what he's saying. People used their common sense and wondered why an app like that would need SMS permissions.
Click to expand...

I'm only pointing out how it's happening, though if you honestly expect that the majority of people read those permission settings, you're crazy. I'd agree it SHOULD raise a red flag ("why would Angry Birds need access to be able to send SMS messages?"), but even if that stopped 70% of the people from completing the install, there's still 30% that it got through on and racked up several hundred dollars in fraudulent charges to their cell accounts.

Also, I have a WP7 phone now, and it is indeed quite awesome. So hey, if you can get one for free, more power to you.
 
NikolaeVarius said:
I don't get how you can possibly get malware on their phones. The system straight up tells you what it has access too.
Click to expand...

You overestimate the intelligence of the average smartphone user. Most of them will randomly click OK on any message box that pops up, even if it's one of those fake "you have a virus!" malware installer browser pop-ups.

I blame years of seeing obnoxious Windows "you need a software update" pop-ups for this.
 
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