{"id":26877,"date":"2013-06-28T10:17:24","date_gmt":"2013-06-28T17:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=26877"},"modified":"2025-08-08T05:03:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T12:03:11","slug":"hidden-device-admin-detector-free-protection-from-android-malware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/mobile-security\/hidden-device-admin-detector-free-protection-from-android-malware\/","title":{"rendered":"McAfee Hidden Device Admin Detector \u2013 Free Protection from Android Malware"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few weeks ago, we told you about Obad<\/a>, a backdoor Trojan<\/a> that targets the Android operating system (OS). What differentiates a Trojan from a traditional virus is that this type of software attempts to masquerade as something useful in order to trick users into opening the file and then leaves a backdoor open so attackers can access your data at any time. This Trojan affects all Android OS users, and it is strongly recommended that you address this flaw immediately!<\/p>\n

What does Obad do?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Essentially, Obad enables the downloading of malicious apps onto your Android device right under your nose \u2013 these apps have the dangerous ability to take advantage of your device\u2019s administrator capability without your knowledge. The apps are created so that they don\u2019t show up in your device\u2019s admin screen, ultimately preventing you from uninstalling the app even if McAfee Mobile Security identifies the app as a malicious one.<\/p>\n

New from McAfee – the McAfee Hidden Device Admin Detector, part of the McAfee Mobile Innovations app and now available on Google Play<\/a>, protects your Android device from the Obad threat. Upon installation, use the app to scan your device for apps that have been granted device admin privileges, unbeknownst to you.<\/p>\n

Obad FAQs:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Which devices are affected?<\/strong>
\nAny device running the Android OS carries the risk of being affected by Obad<\/p>\n

How does it work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. It\u2019s hidden.<\/strong>
\nObad runs in the background of your mobile device so you may not know if you even have it or if you have unknowingly installed an infected app. It\u2019s so well hidden that once Device Administrator privileges have been granted to the app, the malware, or malicious software, does not appear in the device administrator list, making it almost impossible to delete it.<\/p>\n

2. It executes remote commands.<\/strong>
\nDevices infected with Obad can be controlled remotely by a Command and Control (C&C) server. Through a Command and Control (C&C) server, attackers are able to send commands and receive outputs from your device without ever alerting you. The attacker can send a variety of commands such as:<\/p>\n