September 2012
Bitdefender Provides Free Tool to Protect Android Users from Remote Wipe Vulnerability
Bitdefender Wipe Stopper heads off remote USSD attacks
Bitdefender, the internet security innovator, has released a free tool to prevent attackers from remotely wiping your Android device or causing other damage through the recently discovered USSD vulnerability.
The discovery this week of the vulnerability that would allow an attacker to remotely run USSD commands on an Android phone through a fault in the dialer has shown that hundreds of thousands of Android users worldwide are at risk of massive, sudden data loss. Publicity surrounding the vulnerability greatly increases the likelihood of an attack, as exploiting the vulnerability requires little technical knowledge.
Bitdefender Wipe Stopper, now available for free on Google Play, notifies Android users of any attempt to run a USSD command on their device, allowing them to prevent their phones from executing the malicious commands.
“The moment the vulnerability came to light, Bitdefender set some of the best minds in the industry to working,” said Bitdefender Chief Security Researcher Alexandru Balan. “We came up with the best solution available – Bitdefender Wipe Stopper. It’s free, so we recommend pretty much every Android owner use it.”
For more details on the vulnerability, click here.
About Bitdefender®
Bitdefender is the creator of one of the world's fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified internet security software. The company is an industry pioneer, introducing and developing award-winning protection since 2001. Today, Bitdefender technology secures the digital experience of around 400 million home and corporate users across the globe.
Recently, Bitdefender won a series of important awards and accolades in the global security industry, including "Product of the Year" by AV-Comparatives, "Best Repair 2012" by AV-Test, "Editor's Choice" and "The Best Antivirus for 2013" by PC Mag, that confirmed the antivirus software’s leadership status among security products.
More information about Bitdefender's products is available from the company's security press room. Additionally, Bitdefender publishes the HOTforSecurity blog, where readers can find stories from the underworld of internet fraud, scams, malicious software - and gossip.