“Mobile platforms are anything but safe from malware, based on the second quarter Threats Report from McAfee,” Rachel King reports for ZDNet.
“Android, in particular, was found to be the most vulnerable mobile operating system on the market, as malware targeted towards Google’s OS has skyrocketed 76 percent since the previous quarter,” King reports. “That’s a very sobering statistic for both Android developers and device owners.”
King reports, “McAfee went so far as to call Android the “most attacked mobile operating system,” surpassing Symbian OS as the most popular target.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “Open” in all the wrong ways.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Sorry, but that;’s just really hilarious.
If Andriod and only one virus it would still have 100% more viruses than the iOS, and if this increased to two viruses then it would be 100% increase …. I’m a bit weary of these sensational stats
So much for the protected by low numbers myth. People say macs aren’t attacked by malware due to low numbers, then why is Android top of the list? By numbers wouldn’t iOs be number one? Or at least number 2?
You would think, but every where I read Android has passed iPhone in numbers. Eric says 400,000 new Droids each day. And of course it is “Open” to malware. Just a big welcome mat.
The comments to the original article are a hoot! They’re all because iOS is a percent or two it’s not a target. That old security by obscurity myth.
Considering that all of iOS (iPad+iPhone+iPod touch) still has a larger user base than all of “Android”, that argument is even more ludicrous. (Especially in the tablet space, where it’s pretty much Apple and nobody else!)
A student at the university where I work had her account disabled because her Android phone is sending phishing emails. Thank goodness we don’t support Android phones!
I thought Symbian only made sex toys?
Best comment of the day. Symbian makes sex toys but at least they’re sterile, or relatively so. Android, on the other hand, makes having unprotected sex with a hooker seem like child’s play.
Androids are promiscuous. They are the hippies of the tech era. They don’t believe in protection and they fiercely enjoy the freedom to destroy their own lives in which their sluttish behavior made it affordable and attractive to engage in.
LOL…. 🙂
Malware authors are obviously targeting Android simply because it’s market share is so dominant. The puny number of iPhones out there simply makes iPhone malware not worth the effort.
(snort)
——RM
Yea right…
What a joker !!!
dont misunderstand, I did see the sarcasm.
Android: Open as in Buttcheeks™
The security by obscurity is a myth when it comes to Apple. Apple’s products are far too high profile to be ignored.
Hackers are like rivers – they seek out the path of least resistance.
That’s what the real news is telling us. Do Macs and iOS devices have security holes? Yes. Are they easily exploitable? In most cases no.
With over 200 million iOS devices you would expect major breaches happening all the time.
You’re more likely to be stung by a scorpion in the north pole.
Google = Microsoft 2.0
For ALL the wrong reasons…
Wow. Ballmer is late to the mobile game here. But, I am sure that Microsoft’s Mobile Windows can be number one in this if the can just get someone to buy a few phones that has their crap OS in it. Ballmer, you can be number 1 in the malware infested mobile OS market too!
Remember, it is not how many you sell. It is how many you can get infected. You can do this! Man up monkey boy!!
@Jersey_Trader,
Good one–LOL!!!
Beware of that little green Android robot.
He has a little infected red patch in his groin!
Keep in mind that McAfee, Symantec etc have an agenda: They want to sell more security software. I take everything they say with a pinch of salt, as it’s in their interests to exaggerate threat levels. They’ve been banging on about how we should all get anti-virus for our Macs for years. Guess what, still no virus here.
That said, I’m sure Android’s “openness” does make it more vulnerable.