![]() These labs capture copies of Android malware in the wild, run tests using the captured malware against the Android anti-malware products, and publish how well the applications protect plus any issues they find. Fortunately, there are independent test labs that help interested parties make an informed decision. There is a dizzying array of free and paid Android anti-malware products on the market, and each vendor is adamant that its product is the best. For example, within days of learning of Koler, all of the major mobile anti-malware products were detecting it, and if need be, informing owners to delete the offending application containing Koler. This is where anti-malware applications come into play. However, that does not help when the attack involves social engineering. ![]() (Learn more in PowerLocker: How Hackers Can Hold Your Files for Ransom.) Why Anti-Malware Might Be in OrderĪ big reason Android device owners skip using an anti-malware app is that Google, in creating Android, introduced several features that reduce the attack surface visible to malware. Then there's Android ransomware such as Koler, which demands $300 to unlock a victim’s mobile device. One example included sending SMS messages at a premium rate – unbeknownst to the mobile device’s owner, of course. Almost 90 percent of the 275 threats against Android mobile devices included a method for attackers to make money off their victims. The F-Secure report also adds validity to the contention that bad guys are looking to improve their return on investment. F-Secure's Mobile Threat Report Q1 2014 mentions that researchers found 275 new threats targeting Android mobile devices, compared to just one for iOS and one for Symbian. Those who pay attention to active mobile-device malware have noticed malware developers are focusing a lion’s share of their attention on the Android operating system. The rapidly increasing number of Android smartphones coupled with significant user apathy are not the only things contributing to Android’s perfect storm.
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