The number of malicious Android apps has jumped to 718,000 during Q2 and is predicted to reach over a million by the end of 2013, according to a new report from Trend Micro.
In contrast, during Q1, there were some 509,000 high-risk apps, according to the Q2 2013 Security Roundup Report.
Despite these threats, Linda Barrabee, research director for Connected Intelligence at The NPD Group, said only 30 percent of all Android smartphones and tablets found in the United States have any type of security app.
Patches have only limited potential to address security vulnerabilities.
“Due to the fractured nature of the Android network, it is very difficult for patches to reach all users in an effective timeframe. In some cases, users will never get patches as vendors leave their customers at risk of attack,” J.D. Sherry, vice president of technology and solutions at Trend Micro, said in a statement carried by MobilityTechzone. “Until we have the same urgency to protect mobile devices as we have for protecting PCs, this very real threat will continue to grow rapidly. At the rate this malware is accelerating – almost exponentially – we appear to be reaching a critical mass. To fight this, Android users need to take great care when using their devices and take the simple, but effective, step of adding security software to all mobile devices.”
The report also highlighted more online banking threats and how malware toolkits have become more available.
The online banking sector saw malware jumping 29 percent in Q2 from Q1 – from 113,000 to 146,000 infections.
“The U.S. was the top target of malware, with more than one million instances amounting to 28 percent of global compromises, followed by Brazil at 22 percent and Australia at five percent,” Trend Micro said in the statement. “Preventative measures, such as closely monitoring account activity and using third-party security solutions, will help mitigate this growing threat.”
When it comes to malware toolkits, tools are “being sold via inexpensive, free or bundled pricing schemes, such as two-for-one packages. The ease of access to these effective malware toolkits increases the hazards Internet users will face going into the remainder of 2013 and beyond,” the report said.
Edited by
Alisen Downey