"...According to Sunnyvale, Calif., security firm Juniper Networks known instances of Android-related malware -- "virtually all" involving apps - have jumped steadily month by month from 400 in June 2011 to 15,507 in February 2012...
"..San Francisco-based Lookout Mobile Security reported In August 2011, that "an estimated half-million to one million people were affected by Android malware in the first half of 2011..."
"...Trend Micro of Japan, which has U.S. headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. - identified "more than 1,000 malicious Android apps" last year, 90 percent of them on Google's site and noted that the number of bad apps grew last year at 60 percent per month. Trend Micro has estimated the total this year "will grow to more than 120,000."
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_20182226/android-apps-targeted-by-malware?source=rss_viewed.
Search “malware” on androidforums.com
The result is “About 6,430 results”
Search “malware” on androidcentral.com
The result is “About 4,420 results”
code.google.com/p/android/issues Demonstrates 582 reported defects and enhancements for the keyword “security”
“There has been a rash of premium SMS toll fraud apps in the last few months that have primarily targeted users in Europe. These apps have often purported to be downloaders for well-known third party software (often freely available software such as Opera Mobile), and have primarily been found on file sharing sites and alternative markets.”
Google isn’t finding the malware… Security researchers are… “Google responded to reports from Lookout and others by pulling these apps from the Market.”
http://blog.mylookout.com/blog/2011/12/11/european-premium-sms-fraud/
22 SMS Malware Apps Reach Android Market, Removed by Goole
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/22_sms_malware_apps_reach_android_market_removed_b.php
A firm has been fined £50,000 after Trojan versions of popular Android apps secretly sent expensive SMS messages to premium rate numbers.
http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/05/24/angry-birds-malware-fine/
The fake Instagram website contains text in Russian and distributes an Android Trojan horse that, once installed, sends SMS messages to premium-rate numbers without the phone owner's authorization, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, in a blog post on Wednesday.
New Android Malware Hides as Google+ App, Answers Calls for You
http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/15/new-android-malware-hides-as-google-app-answers-calls-for-you/
New Android Malware Can Remotely Root Phones
http://www.bgr.com/2012/04/05/new-android-malware-can-remotely-root-phones/
idtheftprotect: Google Bouncer isn’t working – over 15 AV and free SMS apps being offered by the same developer “thasnimola”. http://t.co/lwLhAaay #NQMobile
New Android malware spreads via Facebook, bypasses Google Bouncer
http://www.slashgear.com/new-android-malware-spreads-via-facebook-bypasses-google-bouncer-24215202/
Researchers Say They Snuck Malware App Past Google's 'Bouncer' Android Market Scanner
- Clearly there are serious concerns about malware on Google Android.
- Malware which masquerades as legitimate apps and can root devices, quietly intercept phone calls and send SMS messages is not equivalent to purposely installing social media apps that download contact information.
- Google Bouncer is not a sufficient solution thus Google Play (formerly Android Market) is not a safe haven for user downloads.
Nearly all those links show exactly what I've said: As a rule users who stick to the official Google Play don't have much to be concerned about. Read the links and find that very few of those were loading from Google, but instead spoofed web pages, pirate sites and other sources that Google does not have any control over. Even in the official store a dozen or so problem apps out of several hundred thousand is nothing very concerning. There's malicious apps that make their way into Apple official store too, yet it's not seen the same way.
Surely you don't blame Apple and iOS if a user loads apps from an unofficial source or jailbreaks their iDevice and subsequently has a problem.
melior diabolus quem scies
"No theatrics and no more personal attacks, just stick to the logic and tell me why I don't have any argument ~ Jragosta/2012
melior diabolus quem scies
"No theatrics and no more personal attacks, just stick to the logic and tell me why I don't have any argument ~ Jragosta/2012
