14 DAY TRIAL // experts came across hundreds of links designed to dupe Opera Mobile users into installing a so-called browser update.
The links redirect potential victims to a Russian domain where a message notifies them about a browser update.
“Your browser version is outdated, your phone is at risk of infection by dangerous virus! We strongly recommend that you upgrade your browser. To update, click Update,” the phony message reads.
Users who press the Update button are presented with a file called browser_update.jar, which is downloaded and installed. On March 14, when the malicious links were found, only 8 of 43 antivirus engines catalogued the application as being a SMS sender.
While this particular campaign targets Russian speakers, possibly because Opera’s market share in Russia and Eastern Europe is 36%, similar campaigns can target users worldwide.
This is why smartphone owners are always recommended to install applications only from trusted sources.