Android malware sees explosive growth; even faster than with PCs

[*LTD*]

http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/kaspersky-android-malware-reached-70-march/2011-04-27

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/21/BUL51J5G3C.DTL

Android malware sees explosive growth; even faster than with PCs

Google’s Android mobile-phone platform faces soaring software attacks and has little control over the applications, according to security firm Kaspersky Lab," Jonathan Browning reports for Bloomberg News.

"Applications loaded with malicious software are infiltrating the Google operating system at a faster rate than hackers did with personal computers at the same stage in development, said Nikolay Grebennikov, chief technology officer for Kaspersky," Browning reports. "The company identified 70 different types of malware in March, up from two categories in September."

"'The growth rate in malware within Android is huge; in the future there will definitely be more,’ Grebennikov said. Kaspersky will offer security on Android in the third quarter of this year,” Browning reports.

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You wanted an open platform? You got it.

How long before an antivirus app makes into into Android's top 20? Step right up and place yer bets.

 

[kdarling]

Kaspersky will offer security on Android in the third quarter of this year

I think that says a lot about their publicity motives.

How long before an antivirus app makes into into Android's top 20? Step right up and place yer bets.

The iPhone got an antivirus app for it back in 2008. (It actually ran on the host Mac instead, and checked the iPhone files that were copied over.) Of course, it was another publicity stunt.

 

[ChazUK]

I use Lookout Mobile Security on my phone just in case some rouge app makes its way onto my handsets.
https://www.mylookout.com/

I've managed all these years to use Windows with no issues with spyware or viruses (I run AV software but haventbhad any warnings yet) so the advantages the open platform bring to me are worth the risk. I just don't like the idea of someone saying "no" to what I do with my hardware.

Still, it is nice that an antivirus firm can warn us android users about these perils.

What are your concerns about it LTD?

 

[neiltc13]

The article refers the technique Google uses to protect the rest of the OS from malicious apps as "sandboxing". This is exactly the same phrase Apple uses on the Mac OS X Security Page.

Android in "as secure as Mac OS X" shocker?!

 

[roadbloc]

Man. This is old news. AVG already offer an antivirus for android.

 

[Bernard SG]

To some extent, Android IS malware by design as it's aimed at snooping on you to deliver Google's ads!

 

[JoeG4]

You wanted an open platform? You got it.

Linux and FreeBSD are the first things that come to mind as totally open platforms, and the risk of malware on either is really quite low. OS X is also based on a (mostly) open platform where.. surprise.. the risk of malware is ALSO quite low.

Hell, Windows is a very proprietary platform and.. through windows xp had the largest risk of malware. Even that is quite low today on a Win7 machine. Certainly your risks are very small today if you're not trying to get malicious software/info from dubious sources (or sharing disks with people that do)

You should always, regardless of platform, keep an eye on what you're putting on your computers/phones/routers before you do. That means something as simple as checking a review site or two before installing.. not.. a big deal?

I guess that's what things like lookout security are for Which.. is free.. and has free lost/stolen phone tracking! Hrmm..

To some extent, Android IS malware by design as it's aimed at snooping on you to deliver Google's ads!

*SIIGH*

Not unless you opt in.

AV manufacturers are notorious at fear mongering. Take Intego, for example - they won't shut up about how insecure OS X is compared to Windows when pushing their crappy AV. Norton consistently uses the word "threat" and orange/yellow in their software to give users a sense of insecurity (sound familiar?) lol. I dunno, I take everything that a corporate interest says about security with a huge grain of salt.

 

[Bernard SG]

*SIIGH*

Not unless you opt in.

Oh, come on, that was a tongue-in-cheek comment.

 

[Mousse]

You should always, regardless of platform, keep an eye on what you're putting on your computers/phones/routers before you do. That means something as simple as checking a review site or two before installing.. not.. a big deal?

Indeed. I'm using XP (the haven for malware, mundane and exotic) at work, no anti-malware, no anti-virus, no anti-nothing. No problem. I'm connected to the net pretty much the whole time I'm here.

So my message to Chicken Lit...Kaspersky Lab, is "The sky ain't falling." Boy, these so called Security firms sure like playing the fear card.

 

[macaddict3]

see this coming no offense to android platform viruses but firstly android was open platform now not so much since i have read a few sources because of these security flaws. b/c it so easy to make viruses for the platform thats why there is loads of malware functions with android.