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Separating Fact From Hype On Mobile Malware

Posted by Soulskill on from the viruses-in-your-pocket dept.

wiredmikey writes with this quote from an article about determining whether the recent doom-and-gloom reports about malware on mobile devices are justified: "As twilight approaches for 2011, security vendors have set their gaze on the rise of Android malware during the year and what is ahead. Last week, Juniper Networks entered the fray, declaring the number of malware samples it observed targeting devices running Google Android had shot up nearly 500 percent since July. Today, McAfee released its threats report for the third quarter of the year, which found that the amount of malware targeting Android devices jumped 37 percent since the second quarter. While there is no doubt the amount of malicious programs with Windows in their bull's eye dwarfs the amount of threats to mobile devices, the focus on Android malware have left some wondering how to separate fact from hype."

5 of 46 comments (clear)

  1. Allow users to set permissions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Other than CM, where one can set permissions of apps, the only real way to limit app permissions is with use of DroidWall.

    This way, if a game wants the whole world for perms, it might get the ability to call home for high scores, but that is it.

  2. FUD? by AHTuttle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While I have no doubt Android is a increasing target, why do I get the sense this is hype from Android competitors and anti-virus software makers? Just don't install any strange apps without research and think about where your browsing and I don't anticipate problems. At least I've had none in the year or so I've been on Android phones.

    1. Re:FUD? by cheeks5965 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Mom: "honey, how should I avoid viruses on my new phone?" Me: "first, be sure to research your apps before you download them." Mom: "what? where do I do that? didnt Sprint already do that?" Me: "then, don't browse to web pages that might contain malware" Mom: "how should I know what sites are ok and what are not?" Me: "rely on your past experience battling viruses on Windows." Mom: "You're my least favorite son. I hate you."

      --
      -- Flame me and I will happily flame you back. Bring it!
  3. 500%? Man, that's nothing... by QuasiSteve · · Score: 5, Funny

    500%? Man, that's nothing... why, at the beginning of the year Apple still claimed zero malware in the App Store, then this happened:
    http://apple.slashdot.org/story/11/11/07/2029219/charlie-miller-circumvents-code-signing-for-ios-apps

    Briefly, malware in the Apple App Store increased by one divided by zer-OH SHI

  4. Most security *is* theater by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I say this as an Infosec professional. If you remove all the hype/FUD and look at actual exploit/breach rates, the entire industry would change and shrink drastically. But they don't. So we have what we have - lots of snake oil and irrelevant/useless tools pushed to solve imaginary problems. Honestly, I am ashamed of myself but the money's too good :-)