Mobile malware increases by 163% in 2012 – mostly affects Android
Mobile malware has increased by 163% in 2012 and most of it affects Android (mobile OS running on handsets such as the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4), according to a report.
NQ Mobile reports, “According to a new security report released today by NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE: NQ), a leading global provider of mobile Internet services, mobile malware threats increased 163% to more than 65,000 in 2012. The company warns, however, that the problem is becoming more complex as smarter mobile malware can better target connected devices.”
It adds, “Malware Grows and Becomes Smarter
Nearly 95 percent of all mobile malware discovered in 2012 targeted the Android OS. The top three methods for delivering malware in 2012 were app repackaging, malicious URLs, and smishing. NQ Mobile estimates that these forms of malware helped infect an estimated 32.8 million Android devices in 2012 — an increase of over 200 percent from 2011.
“In the first quarter of 2013 mobile malware threats continued to grow and have become smarter. In February of this year, a new type of mobile malware was discovered that could jump from an Android device to infect a PC when they were connected via the USB port. Although only a few Android devices were infected, this attack illustrates the growing need to keep private data secure in an increasingly interconnected device ecosystem.
“Mobile Hackers Sell Private Information to Cybercriminals
NQ Mobile Security Labs, a team of over 250 mobile security professionals around the world who proactively monitor the mobile landscape for new malware threats and mobile hacking methods, have been also been observing increased collaboration between mobile hackers and cybercriminals. These unlawful collaborations can have disastrous effects on consumers. Mobile hackers are using malware to capture consumers’ private information and then selling this information to cybercriminals who are in turn using social engineering tactics to gain access to the consumers’ finances.”
Omar Khan, NQ Mobile Co-CEO, said, “The security industry’s ‘discover-first-and-inoculate-second’ strategy is no longer enough. We need smarter systems that can discover threats before they infect consumers as well as more education so consumers can better spot and avoid these new mobile scams.”
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