GFI trumpets discovery of Olympic 2012 smartphone malware

Web security vendor GFI Software claims to have uncovered several Russian websites hosting malicious versions of the Olympics London 2012 smartphone app.

The Olympic organisers released an official smartphone app for Android, iOS and Blackberry devices in the run up to the Games, which lets users try their luck in computerised versions of nine sporting events.

In recent months, end users have been repeatedly warned to be on their guard against hackers wanting to capitalise on the Olympic hype.

However, a researcher at GFI Software claims to have discovered several Russian sites, posing as legitimate mobile app stores, offering fake and malicious versions of the app.

"[One of the] fake app markets...appears to mimic the look and feel of the legitimate Google Play website," said the firm in a blog post.

"[Another] one markets its fake app specifically to Samsung phone users."

The company said the fake app is similar in nature to the Boxer malware, which is commonly used by scammers to send text messages to premium rate numbers.

"If you are interested in downloading the legitimate game, or perhaps other apps from the Olympics organisation, visit [the] official download sites and nowhere else," the post concluded.