Posted on 04/25/2015 11:51:34 AM PDT by Swordmaker
Bad news, phandroids. Android malware is on the rise.
According to Symantec’s latest Internet Security Threat Report, “17 percent of all Android apps (nearly one million total) were actually malware in disguise.” In 2013, Symantec uncovered roughly 700,000 virus-laden apps.
More than one third of all apps were what Symatec calls "grayware" or “madware” -- mobile software whose primary purpose is to bombard you with ads. The company also discovered the first example of mobile crypto-ransomware – software that encrypts your data and holds it hostage until you pay ransom for it – for Android devices.
How to stay safe
The good news is that it’s pretty easy to avoid infection if you obtain your apps from a trusted source, like the Google Play Store. The company doesn’t break out how many of the 1 million+ malware apps were found in the Play Store, but Symantec’s Director of Security Response Kevin Haley admits the number is probably quite low.
“Google does a good job of keeping malware out of the Store,” Haley says. “And if a malicious app does make it in there, they do a good job of finding it and getting rid of it.”
On the other hand, if you visit alternate Android app markets, download apps from app maker’s Websites, get them via email links, or find them on Bit Torrent sites, you run a much greater risk of infecting your phone, he adds.
Other App Stores
Symantec used its Norton Mobile Insight software to crawl more than 200 Android app stores, downloading and analyzing more than 50,000 apps and app updates each day in 2014.
Most of the malware found by Symantec tries to steal personal data like phone numbers and contact lists, which are then sold on the Internet’s black market, says Haley. Some may cause your phone to send text messages to premium SMS services, automatically adding charges to your monthly bill. Other apps may pelt you with ads that pop up randomly over other applications. Some apps even change your default ringtone to an advertisement, Haley says.
The Android malware problem is greater overseas, especially in regions where users can’t access Google Play and must rely on third-party app marketplaces.
If you see unusual charges on your bill for premium texting services or ads start popping up where you don’t expect them, those are good signs you’ve got an infection, he adds. Your best recourse is to use a mobile security app to scan and protect your phone.
As for iOS? Symantec found a grand total of 3 infected apps in the iTunes store in 2014. Last year it found zero.
“One of the benefits of Android versus iOS is that it gives you a lot more freedom as to where you can download apps,” Haley says. “But that freedom comes with a cost.”
Symantec reports they did find THREE malware infested apps in the Apple App Store.
Symantec itself is malware.
In the five or so years I had an Android phone, I only downloaded one app. And it didn’t work.
Finally I dumped it and got an iPhone. Amazingly good.
I don’t know if you want to ping your Windows group to this, but Windows users are more likely to use Android gear than Apple users. I am not going to ping the Apple ping list. But Android users need to see this. I wish there were an Android Ping list.
M4L android
Three??
NSA
CIA
DHS
IIRC, you maintain the tech ping list, Right? You might want to ping your list for this article.
I wish they had said which three. . . If they reported them to Apple, they'll gone now. Apple does an excellent job of vetting them, but apparently some sneak through.
the truth ... five in five ... but whom is counting? Please, Lie and say none ...
Oh, right, if they did, people probably wouldn't buy their product...
Pirated software comes with viruses and malware - is this news to anyone yet?
Bible Gateway is a great app for Bible software. Works great on my tablet.
yep ... given and taken ... any asking is your moment ....
Why is this a question?
Yep! The one line out of the whole article ... that I like ... is:
“As for iOS? Symantec found a grand total of 3 infected apps in the iTunes store in 2014. Last year it found zero.”
— — —
That’s what iPhone and iPad users like to hear. Apple keeps close tabs on this! That doesn’t mean that something won’t sneak in to the store for a day or two, but it will be killed quickly.
I’ve also got an iPad and that’s where I’ve got a lot of apps ... about 330 ... :-) ...
That would be a great idea for someone to do that! Maybe if some users had their own place to go to, they wouldn’t be messing up the Apple threads ... :-) ...
I have an android, a Nexus10. I’ve always suspected as much and appreciate the heads up. thanks
I give apple credit for it’s product and service but I stick with PC/androids because of the $’s.
And none of them are more destructive than the crap Symantec wants you to buy to “fix” it.
> I don’t know if you want to ping your Windows group to this, but Windows users are more likely to use Android gear than Apple users. I am not going to ping the Apple ping list. But Android users need to see this. I wish there were an Android Ping list.
Yeah, I think FR needs an Android Ping List. The Windows list actually may have more iPhone users.... Not that I’ve taken a poll, you know how that would go ... LOL. But perhaps the Android folks will rise to the challenge.
Let’s see if we can rope somebody into doing an Android list. :-)
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