Hackers target mobile devices, Android takes a beating

As smartphones get smarter, so do hackers. In just one year, an estimated 10.8 million Android devices were infected on a global scale, according to NQ Mobile’s 2011 Mobile Security Report. And that number is only expected to grow in 2012.

This doesn’t mean that Android’s platform is any less secure than its rivals; merely that it’s more popular. Android’s operating system is currently the gold standard for smartphone users (beating out both Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s BlackBerry), making it the preferred target for hackers, as well.

One thing to note is how much more complex mobile malware has become. It’s grown up over the years. Hackers have a need to keep up with the ever evolving smartphone and, in turn, their attacks are becoming more intricate. They’re still using tried and true PC tactics, but now they’re combining those old tricks with newly developed methods aimed at mobile platforms.

According to the report, the bad guys are cashing in on their mobile research through three main techniques. These include spyware, premium SMS Trojans and fake installers.

So what can you do? Aside from using good judgment and proceeding with caution before downloading programs, there isn’t much. Accessing programs straight from the source (Android’s Marketplace, for example) might add a sense of security, but even that’s not a guaranteed safeguard. Mobile malware attackers can still insert malicious codes and special upgrade components into legitimate applications.

NQ Mobile’s Report also predicts that banking and financial apps will be hit even harder this year. You could just avoid using your smartphone for shopping and banking altogether, but that’s a lot easier said than done. Since there’s no real protection, it all comes down to how much you’re willing to risk.

Via: Sacramento Bee