Bitdefender Wipe Stopper heads off remote USSD attacks 

SYDNEY & AUCKLAND – September 28, 2012 – 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.

Bitdefender has discovered the vulnerability that would allow an attacker to remotely run USSD commands on an Android phone. This is through a fault in the dialler which has highlighted 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: http://www.hotforsecurity.com/blog/bitdefender-wipe-stopper-prevents-remote-ussd-attack-on-androids-3657.html