Android malware increases four times within six months

Android malware problems have seen fourfold increase between June 2010 and January 2011, according to a report released by Juniper Networks.

The numerical figure released may be of little concern as the Android market has seen a rise from 80,000 to more than 200,000 apps between August 2010 and May 2011 but with the latest surge of online crimes, the users have to be more careful with the apps.

The biggest malware threats originate when infected softwares are infused into legal apps and re-sold from app stores. Trojan apps like DroidDream, Geinimi and HongTouTou have all posed as serious problems when they used this method, the report said.

“Spyware is dangerous because it monitors location and all traffic to and from the smartphone. It is very difficult to detect because it doesn’t affect the phone’s functionality. An attack can only be discovered by professional security software,” said Claus Villumsen, an expert in Mobile Security, in the company website.

There have been more than a dozen attacks against Android users since the first Android malware was discovered in 2010. An app “Walk and Text” was found last month to be infected with malware which was pirated and re-sold by a mysterious developer.

Villumsen, in the report, suggested all Android users to install a security system on their devices and always to make sure the downloaded applications and programs are from a legal source. Consumers were also told to remember that applications from Android Market are not always security cleared before they are presented.