Mobile malware threatens Android devices. It also penetrated the Android Market. It can deprive users of money and privacy. Is antivirus a must?
In the past, antivirus software for mobile phones was an unnecessary investment in software that put more strain on the device’s hardware resources than anything else. Today everything is different. Smart mobile phones are becoming more and more popular, and tablets are also well established on the market. Of course, this took into account the Internet underworld, and suddenly mobile malware is no longer something exotic.
Antivirus is becoming as important in mobile phones and tablets as it is on a personal computer with MS Windows. Fortunately, modern mobile antiviruses are not only “eaters” of system resources. The current offer includes a number of handy programs that protect both against malicious programs and persistent thieves.
Android users are most at risk
The opening of the source code of the system. Almost all of today’s mobile malware attacks Android devices powered by Internet giant Google. For other systems, antivirus is not an absolute necessity even today. All you have to do is follow the basic security rules and, for example, do not download applications from an untrusted source.
Danger as a popularity tax
At the end of last year, Google reported that 700,000 new devices are being activated with this system every day. So Android has a user base that is an interesting target for the internet underworld and its nefarious raids. StatCounter reports that Android is the third most used mobile system with a market share of almost 22 percent (according to data for December 2011).
Developments over the past twelve months indicate that Android is the system with the fastest growing market share in the market, so it will not be long before the top three. In the course of last year, it even surpassed iOS for a while and temporarily held the second place in the market. At the beginning of the new year, he attacks him again. In the foreseeable future, the now leading Symbian will go out of its way, from which Nokia is giving up in favor of Windows Phone.
Prudent behavior is no longer enough
Basic security tips no longer protect Android users. Antivirus is becoming a necessity in the software equipment of mobile phones and usa phone number data tablets. It’s not enough to limit yourself to trusted application sources. The Android Market, which is under the thumb of Google itself, already contained several malicious programs, which the administrators of this market managed to find only after they could have caused considerable damage.
Malware creators don’t have to invent any even in the case of salary new tricks. The same social engineering that has worked for PC users for years applies to mobile users. All you have to do is lure them into something they like or want. Last year, for example, one Trojan that penetrated the Android Market pretended to be various add-ons cg leads for the popular game Angry Birds. However, users did not receive, for example, new levels. Instead, a backdoor was opened in the system to install unwanted programs.