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Fake Instagram for Android Apps Spreading Malware

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On the heels of the Instagram for Android roll out and Instagram’s subsequent sale to Facebook, comes word that there are malicious versions of the Instagram for Android application floating around the internet, versions that could infect Android devices with malware.

According to a blog post from IT security company Sophos, by way of the The Next Web, criminals have deployed fake versions of the popular application in an effort to make money off of clueless Android users.

Cyber criminals have taken advantage of the app’s high profile – it has been downloaded over 5 million times since launch, and have designed software that while appears to be Instagram for Android, is actually a virus that can embed itself on an Android device.

Both the speed at which these apps were created and their deceptiveness are impressive. You can see one of the website’s for one of the malicious apps below.

Fake Instagram for Android Apps Spreading Malware

Sophos downloaded the application to test and found that it doesn’t do a good job of emulating the actual Instagram application

The fake Instagram for Android app isn’t the only application that has been making the rounds in the last few weeks either. A fake version of the popular game, Angry Birds Space, has also been attacking Android devices.

To avoid downloading malicious applications like Instagram for Android and other apps that have malware on board, Android users should only install applications from the Google Play Store.

Users should also take a look at the permissions that an application is asking for before installing.

Those who install applications from third party websites run the risk of infecting their Android device with a virus.

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