Android surpasses Symbian as the biggest malware target this quarter
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"This year we've seen record-breaking numbers of malware, especially on mobile devices, where the uptick is in direct correlation to popularity," Vincent Weafer, Senior VP of McAfee Labs, said. "Overall attacks are becoming more stealth and more sophisticated, suggesting that we could see attacks that remain unnoticed for longer periods of time. High-profile hacktivist groups have also changed the landscape by drawing a line between attacks for personal gain and attacks meant to send a message."
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New malware is often more sophisticated as it often mimics PC viruses. Malware is also now often distributed hidden in a rootkit. A curious fact is that the email “black market” now offers email addresses for prices as low as $25 for 1 million emails.
source: McAfee (PDF) via Symbian Freak
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31 Comments
1. ilia1986 posted on 23 Aug 2011, 05:27 3 3
Yes, taco, it means that ANDROID IS BIGGER. And no, I don't give a damn that Android is less secure - because I'm not stupid enough to download malware from god-knows-what sites.
26. The_Miz posted on 23 Aug 2011, 17:07 1 0
Wow, trying to justify that Android is like a bug net for viruses and malware.
2. Kingofnothing (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2011, 06:58 3 3
Ilia1986,
It is exactly your answer that makes android so damn scary. No matter how smart you think you are- you CAN NOT know weather you are downloading malware 100% of the time. The android market is a sewage hole with no one to clean it up because of it's desire to be open source. Good for android users they have a phone that is open source. It is more like open sores! Have fun with your antivirus software and system admin type tweaking just to get the darn thing to work the way you want it, while the battery is still charged! I will gladly use a bberry, iPhone any day over that horrible work in progress. Maybe one day they will clean it up and make it a better phone like the 3 I mentioned above- one that actually works without having to mess around with or out an antivirus program on. Maybe one day you will open your eyes and get tired of double thinking an app download because you are not sure if it's a virus! That is so sad!
4. SuperAndroidEvo posted on 23 Aug 2011, 07:19 6 1
It's like a Windows PC. I have had a Widows PC forever. Last time I had a virus or malware we were in the last century. All you have to have is common sense. Don't go to a website that you are not sure about, don't open emails that you don't know. Keep your virus protection up to date. Have your spam filter working & everything will be fine. The same can be said about Android. I have had an Android since the HTC Hero came out in 2009 & I have still yet to get a virus or malware. I treat my phone like a PC, because in theory these smart phones are small PC's. I won't say I will never get a virus or malware again because people are very creative in making new threats, but I have been good thus far. A little common sense goes a long way in protecting yourself. I am no different than anyone, I am just conscious about protection in both the PC world & the Android world! It doesn’t matter the size of the OS, it only matters the will of your protection. Ohh I have so many apps on my 32 GB Micro SD card & guess what not virus or malware. So it can be done, but you probably need Apple or Black Berry to think for you because you couldn’t use some common sense in picking your apps. It’s all about the effort. You make it seem like every app has malware. If you really look the number of apps that have malware on Android is VERY, VERY, small!
23. gallitoking posted on 23 Aug 2011, 14:47 1 1
if you eat healthy and exercise you will live a healthy lifestyle...bla bla bla.. since when do most people have commomn sense.. SAE that is for you but most people cannot distuinguish a good or bad app, or websiter as most peple are no like you, you nered to know that.. this is a techie website so this news sound ridculous to guys like you, but the world outside PA doesnt know what you know... and is an issue.. just putting my two cents...
6. remixfa posted on 23 Aug 2011, 08:08 3 2
android is still more secure than iOS. Funny thing that you dont see iOS on that chart at all.. it must be a "magic" mistake.
iOS is always the first to fall at hacking competitions (12 seconds start to info pull) where android has never fallen. having more malware is because ur a bigger target not because ur an easier target.
with a worldwide OS share of nearly 50% to apples 20% world wide, its no wonder that Android has more malware programs.
but as of the last article that only meant that 0.00005% of android users were actually affected.. statistically insignificant.
11. dandirk posted on 23 Aug 2011, 09:29 1 0
remix...
The fact of the matter is that while iOS may be more "hackable", that threat is so minor when comparing to malicious apps.
The fact that iOS screens and controls the only way to get apps on their devices, takes care of 90% of the "actual" security risks.
While I don't like Apple, and will never buy one for myself (for my mom/GF sure). I will not try and knock them in a manor that realistically isn't true.
Now the fact that app availability is at the mercy of Apple, and the process is more involved and costly is a negative factor, there is at least a reason for it, that consumers must judge what is more important to them, security and stricter app rules or more options higher risk.
12. ilia1986 posted on 23 Aug 2011, 09:37 0 0
That's the thing, dandirk. Initially, most people will choose the former. It is after some time - 3, 4, 10, 12 months - after day by day by day seeing this:
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That they would have preferred to choose the latter.
Most people like chocolate. Some even love it more than anything else. But regardless of how much you love it - you wouldn't want to eat it and nothing else for a year, much less for two years, or for three.
Human beings - rational human beings - and not iSheep like taco or Miz - like diversity. And diversity can only be achieved via Freedom. See my post below.
14. dandirk posted on 23 Aug 2011, 09:51 1 0
Personally I think you give people too much credit.
I think a majority of people are just fine with limited selection. In most cases they have no clue what they are missing.
Sure phone/tech/gadget nuts, options are more important but for everyone else (90%) they really could care less. They do care about crap not working, or hassles that malicious software could cause.
There is a reason why HTPC are virtually unknown... because dvd/blu-ray players, are just fine for most.
Why do you think Herseys chocolate is the highest selling... not because its the best. People like what they are comfortable with for the most part.
16. ilia1986 posted on 23 Aug 2011, 10:07 1 2
No. People are brainwashed by Apple - that's why. Because in the age of YouTube - with videos like these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4Xse95n1c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIUDJ2oofYM
and many many more - people DO know what they are missing - those who care to find out at least. Because it's so trendy to have an iPhone, so you don't stop to think for yourself: "Is there something which is better"?
We are talking about a cell phone - a device as personal as one's diary, wallet, clothing, automobile, house, etc. in 2011 people are constantly plugged to their phones. After awhile - those who are intelligent enough to look past the "OMG i can touch it with ze finger!" part begin to realize that they want more. It may be after a month, or after a year - but eventually - just like you won't live on chocolate - you will want something else. Because if you look at it - iOS 1 and iOS 5 beta 6 are not substantially different when it comes to GUI. Especially compared to Android.
Android introduced widgets, live wallpapers, custom launchers, skins, themes, and whatnot.
iOS introduced homescreen wallpapers.. and Folders! WOW! And that's in frikken 2010. Just a year ago.
Again I'm talking about the GUIu - the part people look at 90% of their time when using their phone - because no matter how many cool apps you have - you phone still looks like that:
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22. waveydavey (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2011, 14:17 0 0
I am not an Apple user, but to be fair, PA had an article saying that Android users typically use the same 50 apps 90% of the time (paraphrasing, but that's the gyst). So, quality, not quantity, seems to be the driving factor there. And most certainly risk of compromised security factors into any assessment of overall quality of app selection.
17. remixfa posted on 23 Aug 2011, 10:46 1 1
the same holds true for google to a certain extent. most malicious apps ARE NOT on the android marketplace. they are found from 3rd party sites. the ones that are found on the market place are quickly removed by google.
if you are downloading apps from unknown websites to try to get free versions of paid apps or apps in a lanugage u cant speak because it has a half naked chick in the image, you deserve to be at risk for malware. nuff said.
the actual risk is still 0.00005% to an android customer.
18. dandirk posted on 23 Aug 2011, 10:56 0 0
I agree Andorid allows side-loading and 3rd party markets. Use at your own risk. Also this is probably a pretty low % of the reported cases. Though we don't know because they never report % of where the malicious apps come from, just that they are there.
One could even say since this is a % stat, we could be talking about 10 instead of 100s of apps. I guess the reported issues with App discovery in Android is a security feature:).
Yet malicious apps are still getting deployed via the official market. Though they are removed from the market they are still out there and still a greater risk that Apple Market.
I guess without specific #, in addition to %, its hard to actually asses the real "risk"
28. remixfa posted on 23 Aug 2011, 19:05 0 0
in a previous news blurb they put an official number on people that have been hit by android malware. After all the sensational claims and the iDiot remarks, when you do the math it was only 0.00005% of android users affected. Thats why I keep using that number.
21. htc (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2011, 13:02 0 0
What's happens if you jailbreak it
8. ilia1986 posted on 23 Aug 2011, 09:06 2 1
Actually - Kingofnothing - It is exactly your answer that makes people THINK that android so damn scary.
Apple WANTS you to think that. They scare you with the zillion of PC\Android Viruses and malware, saying that their macs\iphones are completely safe.
Not only that is completely untrue, it is irrelevant - as about 80% of the consumer world owns a windows PC - and most of the people - the intelligent people I mean - don't get Viruses.
STOP BEING AFRAID. Learn to think. Learn to defend yourself. Because FREEDOM - AKA the ability to CUSTOMIZE YOUR CELL PHONE THE WAY YOU WANT - is something that is worth much much much much much much more than some petty risk of getting a virus.
3. Kingofnothing (unregistered) posted on 23 Aug 2011, 07:02 0 1
Oh and by the way it is really funny how you think it's because of it's popularity that there are viruses on the android mess. . Let's not forget that the iPhone and bberry were around before android and there was a huge user base between the two back then! Why we're there no viruses then? I will answer my own question on your behalf. Bcause the platforms are more secure!
5. SuperAndroidEvo posted on 23 Aug 2011, 07:28 1 0
Then the smart phone was not what it is today. The time Black Berry & Apple were kings, smart phones where nothing, a minority. Feature phones were the mainstream. NOW the smart phone is mainstream so hackes, malware makers & every other roach out there will try to attack the largest OS out there. NO OS is safe & you need to understand that. If Apple was the number 1 OS then Apple would be the #1 target. BUT since Android is number 1, Android is the #1 target. No platform is more secure than another. Apple's iOS gets jail broken before it comes out. Talk about real secure huh!
9. ilia1986 posted on 23 Aug 2011, 09:08 1 1
Kingofnothing - please read the book called "1984". Than you will understand that SECURITY is far far less valuable than FREEDOM. See definition of freedom in my previous post.
