Is nothing sacred? Risky mobile apps steal data and spy on users

ProofPoint ^ | December 16, 2015

[texas booster]

Proofpoint analyzed over 5,600 unique Bible apps (4,154 for Android; 1,500 for iOS), including 208 that contain known malicious code and 140 classified as high risk based on their behavior, all for the Android platform.

... all for the Android platform.

Missed that clause even after several readings.

[ThunderSleeps]

Malware is more prevalent than you think! - ANDROID PING!
Android Ping! If you want on or off the Android Ping List, Freepmail me.

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This was sobering and eye opening. I had no idea malware was so widespread in Android. I don't know about y'all but I'm not the kind of user that downloads a lot of apps. I quick look through my apps and I think it is just 12 apps I've installed.

[kingu]

The thing that always seems to be missing from these articles is ‘we've notified the responsible app stores and can report that all of the suspicious and malicious apps have been since removed.’

And something I've always wondered, especially when they go for entire categories of apps to analyze, is how many people are actually at risk, or if the vast majority of the downloads for that tiny fraction of the apps are folks like this group.

All in all, for the general user, there's almost zero risk from apps. You have a greater chance of your own postman stealing important documents and packages than installing a risky app.

But I guess in the end, groups are seeking to sell kabuki security apps and the more fear they can instill, the more installs they'll get (and likely monetization of their efforts.)

[Swordmaker]

The thing that always seems to be missing from these articles is ‘we've notified the responsible app stores and can report that all of the suspicious and malicious apps have been since removed.’

Why should they ever do that? It's the reason they are in business. If the did a pre-emptive strike like that, who would be buying their anti-malware apps to identify and block such apps? Nope, these companies announce the existence of these apps only for marketing purposes to sell their products!

[kingu]

Which of course always leads to the more interesting question: How many did they produce themselves?

In any event, this is more ad than news story.