Teenager Exposes Security Holes in Windows Phone 8 with Trojan App

The malware thankfully was developed for ethical purposes.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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In the few weeks Windows Phone 8 has been on the market, a teenager from India has already developed malware code that could steal user's private data. 

The code, developed by 16-year-old Shantanu Gawde, poses as a regular Windows Phone app. But when the app, which has access to the user's data, is opened, a malicious Trojan is launched. 

No need to panic if you recently purchased a Windows Phone 8 device or are thinking about copping one. Gawde is an 'ethical hacker' from India's National Security Database program. He plans to share his code and findings on November 24 at the International Malware Convention (MalCon) in New Delhi, India. 

Microsoft currently has minor details on the nature of the malware but the company's Trustworthy Computing director, Dave Fornstrum, said the company would "investigate any issues" disclosed in the MalCon talk and "take appropriate action to help protect [its] customers," according to Tech Radar

Not the greatest publicity for Windows Phone 8, but thankfully Gawde is sharing his discovery with Microsoft and antivirus software companies at MalCon.

[via Tech Radar]

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