Android malware up 472% since July, unlikely to slow down

[monkeyluis]

http://iphone.macnn.com/fullarticles...ificant.issue/

A new Juniper Global Threat Center study has pointed to Android malware possibly becoming a serious issue in just the past four months. The incidence in viruses, trojans, and other strains has jumped 472 percent since July, most of which has appeared in just the past two months. About 55 percent were spyware apps scraping and sending information in the background, while 44 percent were SMS trojans that send messages to premium numbers that put the bill on the caller.

[elcreative]

Just wish that sensationalist reports gave some meaningful figures... up 472% mean nothing unless you know what the starting point is!!! If 4 months ago, there was one a month and then then it increased to 5 a month then you've got a 500% increase but still insignificant compared to say Windows but if it was a 100 a month and now it's 500 then that's a lot more noticeable...

[monkeyluis]

I don't disagree. I think just the fact that it's out there is the problem though. That's more my concern. As an android user now, with the Fire, I don't want to have to deal with this. On the plus side, this is why I'm for the AppStores that have quality control, such as Amazon and Apple. Are they perfect, no, but they are far better than the flea market that is the general android marketplace. I just think Google needs to get a better handle on it. It makes for a frustrating user experience, for the non-geeks (moms, grandmas, etc) that have to deal with this.

I know, I know, walled garden, blah blah. But I really am for it. I don't see it any different than going into Best Buy and only having certain products to choose, where if I go to a flea market I have to choose between different items laid out on an old bed sheet. LOL...

Besides, as long as you can get the apps that you want, there is nothing wrong with the appstore business model.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by monkeyluis

I know, I know, walled garden, blah blah. But I really am for it. I don't see it any different than going into Best Buy and only having certain products to choose, where if I go to a flea market I have to choose between different items laid out on an old bed sheet. LOL...

Besides, as long as you can get the apps that you want, there is nothing wrong with the appstore business model.

Oh, a walled garden in itself isn't bad. Except there'll always be people behind it. A walled garden becomes bad when those people block apps, not because they're malicious, but because they don't like it. Like apple blocking apps because you could possibly see pictures with it that aren't suitable for 6-year olds.

Or, as my husband's company found out, the word "drugs" is used in it... They made a website for a company that helps drugs addicts to quit. One of the tools they wanted for that was some sort of application where the user could enter how much drugs he had used each day. Apple denied this application because you could keep track of you drug use with it...

[JoeD]

Walled gardens are fine as the initial means of obtaining software, but I think every device should allow you to load any app you want onto it (even if it's via a few more hoops). That way you can use the app stores first and foremost which whilst still having a risk attached is less than downloading random apps from the net. But when an app you want is blocked and it's from a company you feel you can trust, you can still use it.

Best of both worlds that way.

[monkeyluis]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Oh, a walled garden in itself isn't bad. Except there'll always be people behind it. A walled garden becomes bad when those people block apps, not because they're malicious, but because they don't like it. Like apple blocking apps because you could possibly see pictures with it that aren't suitable for 6-year olds.

Or, as my husband's company found out, the word "drugs" is used in it... They made a website for a company that helps drugs addicts to quit. One of the tools they wanted for that was some sort of application where the user could enter how much drugs he had used each day. Apple denied this application because you could keep track of you drug use with it...

No doubt, I agree, it's not perfect. I still think it's better than the flea market option.

I'm sure if they fought a little harder, they could have the app in there. But I don't know the situation.

[Sil_liS]

From the article:

Juniper found a 400% increase in Android malware from 2009 to the summer of 2010.

The number of apps increased 10 times, so 1000%:

This means that the ratio of good apps vs. malware actually improved.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by monkeyluis

No doubt, I agree, it's not perfect. I still think it's better than the flea market option.

I'm sure if they fought a little harder, they could have the app in there. But I don't know the situation.

They did... Apple adviced them to call it a "general calendar app" and then still shot it down...

JoeD, that's the other problems with a walled garden. Apple prefers to keep its garden completely free. No other entrances beside the one they control. I agree that, in the end, I'm the one who decides what I want to put on my device. So, offer an appstore that has only valid apps (which means, no virus, no malware, no trojans, etc), maybe categorize it in sections (so even the 6+ apps can be added as well) but also allow people to screw their own device if they want to, by allowing side-loading of apps.

[kartu]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

From the article:

The number of apps increased 10 times, so 1000%:

This means that the ratio of good apps vs. malware actually improved.

[kartu]

Originally Posted by monkeyluis

I still think it's better than the flea market option.

Except android market is no "flea market" and recently discovered malware bit of Dolphin HD browser, equally affects Android/iOS users.

[Greg_E]

But no mention of spyware which is in almost every free app so they can target ads to you better. Do you look at the services that are required when you install an app? Most people don't and I reject most of the ones that require location and a few other things unless there is no other choice.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by kartu

Except android market is no "flea market" and recently discovered malware bit of Dolphin HD browser, equally affects Android/iOS users.

I thought Dolphin had a security hole, not malware.

And on the amount of malware generally - is this malware actually capable of executing on a phone, or is it more theoretical? (I don't actually know, but I'm sort of inherently suspicious of anti-malware companies hyping the amount of malware in an attempt to sell products).

[kartu]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

I thought Dolphin had a security hole, not malware.

It was caught sending URLs you visit to a remote server en.mywebzines.com, which belongs to the company.

Responds of "dolphin team" was, "oh, but we don't store this data" (sure guys, you've created all that server infrastructure just for fun).

And it appears this "feature" was:

Toggle Webzine was also a feature included in Dolphin for iPhone and iPad.

So essentially you are safe neither with Android nor with iOS, but with the latter you feel "safe", which is actually even more dangerous.

[EowynCarter]

So essentially you are safe neither with Android nor with iOS, but with the latter you feel "safe", which is actually even more dangerous.

Android, iOS, windows, .. You're safe as long as you're careful with what you downloading.

And google do remove apps detected as virus / troyan whatever...

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Greg_E

But no mention of spyware which is in almost every free app so they can target ads to you better. Do you look at the services that are required when you install an app? Most people don't and I reject most of the ones that require location and a few other things unless there is no other choice.

Yes of course I do. You do too. How do you know that most people don't?

Also, I actually like the idea that ads are tailored to me. My consumer behaviour is being tracked all the time, not just by Android apps. While the loss of privacy is a whole other debate, for its intended purpose to sell me stuff that I might want, I don't see it as a major problem.

Graham