Android Malware Attacks Up Significantly from Last Year

• Kevin Krause
• 14 years ago

As consumers shift their focus from desktop computing to a surge in smartphone adoption, so do the hackers and scammers, with malware attacks targeted towards mobile users up 33 percent according to security vendor AdaptiveMobile. The platform to see the largest increase was — you guessed it — Android, which should make a lot of sense considering the platform’s own explosing in popularity since the end of 2009. Four times as many malware exploits have been identified since that period, mostly disguised applications that target singular phone functions such as SMS, voice, or email.

AdaptiveMobile’s  Gareth Machlachlan is predicting that attacks will become more complicated as consumers begin to wise up to vulnerabilities. “The next year will see the emergence of the ‘compound threat’ – intelligent scams designed to exploit multiple phone capabilities in order to reap maximum reward for the criminals, before the user even realises they have become a victim,” Machlachlan explains. He also warns that these new attacks will shake up the very foundation of mobile security.

As always, be safe with what you download. Check permissions, ratings, and user feedback before installing apps to your phone. They may look as innocent as a ringtone app on the surface, but it is what lurks beneath that could get you in trouble.

[via Cellular-News]