The INQUIRER - nibbling the toes of the people who have hands to bite
|
|
|
Malware threat on Android continues to grow
SECURITY VENDOR McAfee has reported that malware attacking Google's Android operating system has increased in the last three months.
Google's immensely popular Android operating system has become a target for malware authors as its popularity means that developers have the widest possible audience. McAfee is reporting that the most of malware threats it has seen in the past quarter were on Android, with Java Micro Edition the second most popular among malware authors.
McAfee said in a statement, "In the second quarter of 2011, Android OS-based malware surpassed Symbian OS for the most popular target for mobile malware developers. While Symbian OS and Java ME remain the most targeted to date, the rapid rise in Android malware in Q2 indicates that the platform could become an increasing target for cybercriminals - affecting everything from calendar apps, to comedy apps to SMS messages to fake Angry Birds updates."
Apple fanbois will look at the report as a vindication of Steve Jobs' locked down approach to IOS. McAfee's report does not show a single IOS threat, and while there are significantly fewer devices that run IOS compared to Android, given its popularity, for McAfee not to find a single instance of malware is impressive.
Google's Android operating system has always promoted its openness and in particular the ability for users to install applications onto devices from multiple application stores. However if the security threat to Android devices continues to grow at the rate McAfee claims, then users might start to consider Apple's locked down IOS devices. µ
Share this:
Share
People should know what they are installing on their phone. We need SMART people to use smartphones.
"However if the security threat to Android devices continues to grow at the rate McAfee claims, then users might start to consider Apple's locked down IOS devices."
I'm gald he said "might" because I think the idea is slim that this would affect Google's Android that drastically. It didn't stop Microsoft in the least.
The Apple lock-in is why I'd NEVER buy or even have anything they make. The smug sappiness of its fascism with a cutesy interface is overwhelming to anyone with a little bit of sense.
So I'd take anything else, even if risky.
There's another inference that might be made to lack of malware for Apple: that thieves don't have to take money from Apple fanboys by STEALTH, only to ask for it directly and the witlings will hand it over.
Supported by (you can google to confirm this) one programmer who put out an Apple ap stating that it did nothing useful. It sold. He became intrigued and raised the price two or three times -- ending at over a thousand dollars as I recall -- and it STILL sold a few copies.
The Apple market is manifestly ninnies with ready cash. So who needs malware?