“A new study has found that iOS remained untouched by malware during the second quarter, while Android faced 76 percent more threats than in the first quarter, making it the most targeted mobile platform,” Josh Ong reports for AppleInsider.
“Google’s Android platform jumped from being the third-most targeted platform for mobile malware in the first quarter to taking the number one spot with 44 cases of malware. Java ME, the second-most targeted platform, had one-third the volume with just 14 exploits,” Ong reports. “Several security firms warned early this month that Android has become increasingly susceptible to attack, while at the same time noting that Apple’s platform is relatively more secure than its rival.”
Ong reports, “In June, Symantec issued a report that found iOS to have ‘full protection’ against malware attacks, while Android was characterized as having ‘little protection.'”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Sarah” for the heads up.]
44 malware variants still pales in comparison with the thousands of Windows malware types.
Android’s young, there’s still time.
Amen brother.
The easiest way to avoid Android malware is to not turn on “Unknown sources” and to not use things like pirated ‘market places’ run out of countries like China.
I’d still like Google to put in a review process for apps submitted to the Android Market however.
This is the obvious fallout of an OS philosophy that puts hobbyists ahead of average consumers. Running an anti-virus app on your smartphone? What would *anyone* put themselves through that horseshit?
http://themacadvocate.com/2011/08/23/android-takes-another-top-ranking-in-oh/
“Several security firms warned early this month that Android has become increasingly susceptible to attack, while at the same time noting that Apple’s platform is relatively more secure than its rival.”
I think I shall print that quote… And hand it to any android sufferer I see 🙂
Macadvocate, exactly.
If you HAVE to run antivirus etc on your PHONE…
“Google’s Android platform jumped from being the third-most targeted platform for mobile malware in the first quarter”
Wow, looks like Android numbers keep raising… too bad those are not good numbers lol
Security by obscurity, obviously.
HAHAHA! Thank you for my laugh of the day.
It’s amazing to me how this dead horse is dug up repeatedly regarding Mac OS X. Now I reflexively laugh every time the fetid phrase is mentioned. 😆
Android is “Open by Design”. Who doubts that gives an edge to malware?
But Journalists who pump Android don’t mention risks. It is simply bad journalism to note only what is good about a product. That leads to user distrust of journos.
And this is why your so called open platform is NOT the best way to go. No control, means trouble. To many bad guys love this and will take everything they can. It will only end up the same way as people using Windows. They will get fed up with all the malware making there smartphones and tablets slow and useless and switch to the obvious secure platform of IOS devices like the iPhone and iPad. Just like they did with there PC’s switching to Macs for the same reason. Tired of dealing with spyware, malware and viruses.
Want a laugh? Visit the alternate universe of Slashdot, where Apple is Bad, Android is Good, and all software must be open and free!
I haven’t seen their take on this article yet, but I’ve read others like it, and it boils down to this: It’s worth the extra risk not to be imprisoned in Apple’s “walled garden”, and besides, only people who load 3rd-party Android apps are at risk.
But wait… If you don’t allow yourself to use 3rd-party apps, aren’t you living in just as much of a walled garden as an iOS user?
Uh… uh… Android is good! Apple is bad! Apple doesn’t really innovate!
Slashdot, ladies and gentlemen. You really have to read it to believe it.
——RM
What is BRILLIANT about Open Source software is that the actual project software is combed through by many people over time, helping to tease out the security flaws.
But Android has a couple problems that BREAK this Open Source benefit:
1) Google have NOT been treating Android as actually Open Source. We witnessed this with Android 3 for tablets where Google did NOT make the code public. This means that code is NOT OPEN. So much for Open Source Android!
2) The apps written for Android are generally NOT Open Source. In fact, they aren’t vetted AT ALL! Anything goes, including malware. The malware hits the market, infects THOUSANDS of Android devices (this is well documented) before Google step in and pull the software off the infected hardware. The damage is done. Google is TOO LATE.
We know that so far in just 2011, Google has had to pull over 100 malware apps. I’m willing to be that is an underestimate.
Meanwhile, Apple’s ‘Walled Garden’ is blooming and beautiful with not one weed of malware. I like that. 🙂
McAfee BS from the source article:
“McAfee did note that Apple’s Mac platform has faced a threat from a fake anti-virus malware called MacDefender. The firm speculated that such attacks would eventually make their way to the iPhone and iPad, calling it a “case of “when” rather than “if.””
This quote blatantly shows McAfee’s IGNORANCE of the iOS platform.
I studied and followed the MAC Defender Trojan horse. Explain to me McAfee EXACTLY how any suckered user can INSTALL any faked anti-malware app into their iOS device.
Answer: THEY CAN’T. I.E. such malware is INERT.
Enormous DUH Factor McAfee!
FACT: Apple VET ALL iOS SOFTWARE.
So please STFU McAfee until you know what you’re talking about. This is not the first time you have deliberately FUDed Apple users with total bullshite. Therefore, why would any Apple product user want to use your anti-malware? It’s not going to be because you lied to them.
allz I gots to sez is Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ! !!!!!!!