As Android has become the most popular platform for smartphones and tablets worldwide, an ever-increasing amount of malware has been designed and aimed at Android devices. Because Google's Play store has only a limited presence in China, a slew of independent Android app stores have popped up in the country to profit from the great popularity of Android devices, and some of those apps carry malware. A new Android threat has already infected more than half a million devices in China so far.

A new virus has reportedly affected more than 500,000 Android devices. The malware is known as SMSZombie, and can make unauthorized payments from users' accounts. According to a report from The Next Web, security company TrustGo found the SMSZombie malware on July 25 and said that the virus can access bank and card details, past bills, and payment history, in addition to making unauthorized payments. TrustGo claims to be the first company to locate the virus and offer a way to remove it.

Apps infected with SMSZombie have reportedly been found in one of the most prominent app stores in China, Gfan, as well as in other places. Half a million Android devices may not seem like much, considering that China Mobile has 683 million subscribers, but the malware can cause quite a bit of trouble with unauthorized transactions.

According to TrustGo, the creators of SMSZombie have managed to stay under the radar so far and have recharged accounts for various things, including online gaming sites and other services, simply by making "relatively low" deposits through compromised smartphones. The virus reportedly lurks in wallpaper apps and once downloaded, it accesses the user's SMS functionality and exploits a vulnerability in China Mobile's SMS payment gateway. Users can scan for viruses in real time with TrustGo's suite of mobile security app available from Google Play, or head to TrustGo's Web site and learn how to remove the SMSZombie malware.

Luckily, the SMSZombie malware only affects Android devices in China, as it works by exploiting a vulnerability in the mobile payment system used by China Mobile. Android users outside China have little to worry about this malware, but should be careful nonetheless. Increasingly malicious apps are targeting the Android platform.