Malware Targets Android Devices at Alarming Rates

Android devices might as well have a big malware-bullseye tagged on almost all estimated 900 million gadgets said to be running the operating system because they are getting pounded at an alarming rate by malware according to many security companies.

The security companies Juniper Networks and Bitdefender have reported a major influx of Android malware. It has been estimated by TrendMicro that Android malware cases will hit the 1 million mark by the end of this year.

We have reported time after time of new emerging Android malware threats but the general public of Android users still do not fear infection. Better yet, Android users are not seeking antimalware solutions like you would think despite the stern warnings issues by multiple security firms of new Android malware threats.

Of course, there is always the argument of security companies said to be overhyping the Android malware situation only to prep for big sales pay-days of new Android anti-malware solutions. Regardless of the argument, Android malware is very real, and the new rate numbers do not lie.

Trend Micro's March release in examining about 2 million Android apps, 293,091 of them were found to be malicious while 150,203 were a high-risk.

The cases of Android malware, still a relatively new venue for any security company to examine, have found to perform many different malicious actions. Much of the latest popular Android malware is known to allow cybercrooks to obtain sensitive information or some simply direct the Android device to SMS premium numbers owned by hackers.

What is clear about Android malware is two things, it is a fast-growing problem and the malware can be programmed to do virtually anything within the capability realm of an Android device. What this means is Android devices, whether it be a smart phone or tablet, could be used as a gateway to many criminal activities when infected with the right type of malware.

For years the Google Play store, the go-to place for obtaining Android apps, has had its run in with malicious apps. Trend Micro did a study piggybacking off of their examination of 2 million Android apps finding that of the 293,091 malicious apps, about 68,740 were in the Google Play store.

Android malware is here to stay, unfortunately. As time progresses, we will all have a better grasp on how potent the influx of Android malware is and its volume. Until that time, we can only definitively say that Android malware is increasing at alarming rates and becoming more aggressive. In other words, let these recent numbers be the judge.