The increase in mobile malware saw a staggering 163% rise in 2012, primarily due to a doubling of Android infections.
In a statement released on Monday, mobile security company NQ Mobile revealed that Android was the most targeted mobile platform for malware in 2012, with over 32.8 million devices infected. This marked a significant increase from the 10.8 million devices infected in 2011, representing a rise of over 200%.
India, Russia, the US, and Saudi Arabia accounted for a significant portion of the infected devices, with India leading the pack at 19.4%, followed by Russia with 17.9%, the US with 9.8%, and Saudi Arabia with 9.6%. A quarter of the infected devices were located in China, according to the statement.
The widespread popularity and open ecosystem of Android made it an attractive target for malware authors. NQ Mobile identified the top three methods for delivering malware in 2012 as app repackaging, malicious URLs, and Smishing. Malware was frequently hidden inside apps that appeared harmless or mimicked popular titles, such as the case of malware posing as Angry Birds.
A significant percentage of vulnerabilities involved authentication problems where user credentials were stored insecurely on the device rather than being verified server-side. This weakness could be exploited by malicious apps to steal sensitive information. Some devices were even shipped with spyware already installed, or users unknowingly installed infected software, increasing the risk of malware infection.
The malware often used techniques such as rootkits to hide, infected HTML pages to redirect users, and connected to remote servers or botnets to receive commands, reflecting advanced capabilities even in 2012.
NQ Mobile estimates that 7% of mobile malware aimed to stop the device from functioning. Omar Khan, co-CEO at NQ Mobile, stated that the current 'discover-first-and-inoculate-second' strategy in the security industry is no longer sufficient. He suggested that smarter systems are needed to discover threats before they infect consumers and more education for consumers to better spot and avoid mobile scams.
The statement from NQ Mobile did not provide specific details about the types of malware or the sources of the attacks. NQ's Security Labs discovered these findings using data from its global malware database of 283 million mobile users and scanning the mobile landscape for new threats and hacking methods. However, the statement did not provide any information about the potential impact of these malware attacks on Android users.
Furthermore, NQ Mobile mentioned that 28% of mobile malware discovered in 2012 was designed to collect and profit from a user's personal data. The increased collaborations between mobile hackers and cyber criminals in 2012 resulted in "disastrous effects", according to NQ.
As Android continues to be the most popular mobile platform, it is crucial for users to be vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect their devices from malware. This includes downloading apps from trusted sources, keeping devices updated with the latest security patches, and being aware of potential scams and phishing attempts.
- In light of NQ Mobile's findings, it is essential for users to be aware of the increasing threats in data-and-cloud-computing and cybersecurity, as 28% of mobile malware in 2012 was designed to collect and profit from personal data.
- As Android remains the most targeted mobile platform for malware, users should prioritize the protection of their data-and-cloud-computing systems by downloading apps from trusted sources, keeping technology up-to-date, and being vigilant against phishing attempts and potential scams.
