Information Madness

Malware is targeting Google’s Android mobile operating system and this problem has grown five fold since the last five months. The explosion of infected Apps that were aimed at Android owners shows no sign of lessening. This is a mix of the conventional hacking community working on malware as well as people who are just a little smart, the wiz kid crowd who are able to hide some malicious content in an application.

The Android malware samples define a different piece of attack code or a variant of an earlier code. These malware samples have increased by 472% since July 2011. The bulk of that growth has come about in the last couple of months.

The major threat for these malicious android Apps comes from crafty criminals who distort pirated versions of legitimate applications and plant them in Google’s official Android market or in one of the many download sites that are popular in China in particular. This strategy by the hackers is likely to continue indefinitely.

Google cannot control what Apps can be installed on an Android mobile device as Apple does with code signing technologies for iOS Apps. Google’s stand makes third party App download centers possible. Google does not vet Apps that are submitted to the Android market. Many attack Apps have appeared in Chinese App stores that distribute Android software. No matter what policies an App store may have, the real way to protect a device is to protect it with security software. You have to protect your mobile devices just like you protect your personal computers.