New Tool Detects Malware Exploiting Smartphone Accessibility Features - 1

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New Tool Detects Malware Exploiting Smartphone Accessibility Features

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Georgia Tech developed DVa to combat malware exploiting accessibility features.
  • Accessibility tools help users but also create vulnerabilities for hackers.
  • DVa scans smartphones and reports harmful apps and potential damages to users.

Researchers at Georgia Tech recently announced that they have created a new tool called Detector of Victim-specific Accessibility (DVa) to fight malware that takes advantage of smartphone accessibility features.

While tools like screen readers and voice-to-text help people with disabilities, they also make phones easier targets for hackers.

Malware can exploit these features to read screens, access important apps, and block removal attempts. This can result in severe consequences, such as unauthorized bank transfers or the exposure of sensitive information in cryptocurrency apps.

DVa works in the cloud to scan smartphones for malware and sends users a report of its findings. It tells users which apps are harmful, how to delete them, and alerts them about potential damages.

The tool also reports its findings to Google, helping the company remove harmful apps from the Play Store.

Brendan Saltaformaggio, an associate professor at Georgia Tech, stressed the importance of having security experts involved when designing accessible technology. He warned that without their input, these tools could be misused by hackers.

To test DVa, the research team worked with Netskope, a cloud security company, and installed malware samples on Google Pixel phones to see how it affected the system.

While DVa can identify many current malware threats, researchers noted that balancing security with accessibility remains tricky. DVa has some limitations.

It relies on specific functions defined by accessibility tools, which means it might miss malware that uses clever tricks to exploit those functions.

Additionally, while DVa tries to adapt to known threats, it can struggle when malware uses complicated behaviors or new evasion tactics. These challenges could prevent DVa from detecting certain types of malware.

Ken Xu, a Ph.D. student of the project, highlighted the need to differentiate between safe and harmful uses of accessibility services. Despite these challenges, researchers are hopeful that DVa can improve and help keep accessible technology safe in the future.

Disney Unveils First Trailer for 2025 Tron: Catalyst Game - 2

Photo by Sean Do on Unsplash

Disney Unveils First Trailer for 2025 Tron: Catalyst Game

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • The new game Disney TRON: Catalyst has an official trailer
  • It has been developed by Bithell Games, Big Fan Games, and Disney Games.
  • Disney TRON: Catalyst will be released in 2025 for PC and consoles

Disney Games launched the first trailer of the new game Disney TRON: Catalyst and announced that the video game will be released in 2025 for PC and consoles.

“The Arq Grid stands on the brink of collapse,” wrote the company on X, “Wield Exo’s Identity Disc, pilot her Light Cycle, and harness the power of the Glitch loop.”

The Arq Grid stands on the brink of collapse. Wield Exo’s Identity Disc, pilot her Light Cycle, and harness the power of the Glitch loop. TRON: Catalyst comes to PC and Consoles in 2025. pic.twitter.com/JS7UP296ws — Disney Games (@DisneyGames) October 14, 2024

According to WccfTech , the game has been developed by Bithell Games and Big Fan Games in collaboration with Disney Games.

Disney TRON: Catalyst is a continuation of the story introduced in TRON: Identity in 2023, and it will be available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5 next year.

“In Disney TRON: Catalyst , players are introduced to Exo, a highly resilient and resourceful program with an incredible ability to initiate time loops,” explained the developers in the press release . “With this newfound power, Exo takes on the overlords of a crumbling Grid all while evading Conn, a malevolent agent of CORE. Exo must gain control over her mysterious abilities and uncover the unexplained ‘Glitch’ that threatens the Grid.”

Nintendo Switch recently invited 10,000 players to test a new secret feature for Nintendo Switch Online expected to be revealed soon.