When Björk invited hackers to adapt her app from iOS to other platforms, it appears that “some people who rose to the call had a hidden agenda in mind: to distribute malware”, wrote Symantec researcher Irfan Asrar in a blog.
The "evil twin routine", in which an author creates a malicious doppelganger or pirated version of a popular app, seems to be the most popular scam when it comes to malware for Android, Asrar explained.
Once users download the trojanized Biophilia app, they are able to stream music just as the app promises. However, a malicious background service also runs, he noted.
This background service belongs to the Android.Golddream family of malware and indicates the authors of this threat likely intend to use infected devices to generate revenue via premium text messaging scams, Asrar wrote.
“Björk's new app is key to her Biophilia album and promises to break new ground in the way we consume music”, explained the Guardian newspaper in a music blog. Björk was even able to convince naturalist and documentary film maker David Attenborough to narrate the app.