“By the end of 2015, researchers expect the number of new Android malware strains to hit 2 million,” Sara Peters reports for InformationWeek. “Although mobile malware hasn’t yet been blamed for any major data breach or cybercrime event, attackers are churning out a new piece of Android malware every 18 seconds — and the rate is trending upwards.”
“In the first quarter of 2015, 440,267 new samples of Android malware appeared, and the number may reach over 2 million by the end of the year, according to researchers at anti-virus firm G DATA, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary,” Peters reports. “That is a 6.4 percent increase over Q4 2014.”
Peters reports, “‘We haven’t seen the ‘Melissa [virus]’ for mobile malware yet,’ says Hayter. ‘That day will come. I predict sooner, than later. I think it’s a matter of installed base and profit.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Android is the open sore of mobile.
“Open.” To infection.
SEE ALSO:
Symantec: 1 in 5 Android apps is malware – April 25, 2015
Kaspersky Lab Director: Over 98% of mobile malware targets Android because it’s much, much easier to exploit than iOS – January 15, 2015
Security experts: Malware spreading to millions on Android phones – November 21, 2014
There’s practically no iOS malware, thanks to Apple’s smart control over app distribution – June 13, 2014
F-Secure: Android accounted for 99% of new mobile malware in Q1 2014 – April 30, 2014
Google’s Sundar Pichai: Android not designed to be safe; if I wrote malware, I’d target Android, too – February 27, 2014
Cisco: Android the target of 99 percent of world’s mobile malware – January 17, 2014
U.S. DHS, FBI warn of malware threats to Android mobile devices – August 27, 2013
Android app malware rates skyrocket 40 percent in last quarter – August 7, 2013
First malware found in wild that exploits Android app signing flaw – July 25, 2013
Mobile Threats Report: Android accounts for 92% of all mobile malware – June 26, 2013
Latest self-replicating Android Trojan looks and acts just like Windows malware – June 7, 2013
99.9% of new mobile malware targets Android phones – May 30, 2013
Mobile malware exploding, but only for Android – May 14, 2013
Mobile malware: Android is a bad apple – April 15, 2013
F-Secure: Android accounted for 96% of all mobile malware in Q4 2012 – March 7, 2013
New malware attacks Android phones, Windows PCs to eavesdrop, steal data; iPhone, Mac users unaffected – February 4, 2013