Android Malware Threats on the Rise, iOS Not So Much

[Phillip Swanson]

According to McAfee's Threat Report for the second quarter of 2011, iOS remains relatively unaffected by malware threats. Android on the other hand continues to see an increase in malware threats.

One significant change in the first quarter of 2011 was Android’s becoming the third-most targeted platform for mobile malware. This quarter the count of new Android-specific malware moved to number one, with J2ME (Java Micro Edition), coming in second while suffering only a third as many malware.

This increase in threats to such a popular platform should make us evaluate our behavior on mobile devices and the security industry’s preparedness to combat this growth.

We also saw an increase in for-profit mobile malware, including simple SMS-sending Trojans and complex Trojans that use exploits to compromise smartphones. - McAfee Threat Report

Android saw a 76% increase in malware threats from the first to second quarter according to McAfee. It seems odd that Apple's iOS platform would remain unaffected by malware attempts, especially considering iOS's large portion of the mobile market share. Android may have more users in the world, but it's hardly the difference seen between Windows and Mac market share, where Apple's small portion of the market allows them a sense of security regarding malware efforts.

It is only a matter of time before iOS experiences a MacDefender like malware threat, which is something McAfee readily warns about in their report. Apple's massive market share wont be ignored forever.

Source: McAffee Threats Report: Second Quarter 2011

[sziklassy]

iOS is unaffected because of how heavily locked down the OS is. It is not shocking at all that Android is going to receive many more threats. What they don't tell you is you have to be an idiot and be installing cracked or otherwise shady .APKs to really be at any real level of risk with android.

[Donnutt]

Ha! Never saw this coming! Oh wait, I did. People always complaining about the app store and how everything has to pass through apple... I wonder why iOS is so much more secure?... Even jailbroken iPhones don't have much malware...

[TheOrioles33]

iOS is unaffected because of how heavily locked down the OS is. It is not shocking at all that Android is going to receive many more threats. What they don't tell you is you have to be an idiot and be installing cracked or otherwise shady .APKs to really be at any real level of risk with android.

Exactly. I would even be uncomforatable using banking apps on Android. Who knows whats lurking in the background waiting to intercept your password and all that.

[feidhlim1986]

Windows is more popular = target for malware and/or viruses
Android is more popular = target for malware and/or viruses

[KraXik]

Windows is more popular = target for malware and/or viruses
Android is more popular = target for malware and/or viruses

Wow well done for reading the article. Good job 

[GmAz]

iOS is unaffected because of how heavily locked down the OS is. It is not shocking at all that Android is going to receive many more threats. What they don't tell you is you have to be an idiot and be installing cracked or otherwise shady .APKs to really be at any real level of risk with android.

Exactly. I'd rather be smart about using my phone and be able to do most anything I want to it then be locked down like iOS. Also, iOS is losing market share big time. People that make malicious software want to make a big impact so they go after the most phones they can...Android. Also, far too many people use the iPhone as a status symbol and barely use it for what it can actually do. They are happy it can text and use facebook.

[HmGrwnSnc1984]

Windows is more popular = target for malware and/or viruses
Android is more popular = target for malware and/or viruses

It's more like...

Windows is more vulnerable = target for malware and viruses
Android is more vulnerable = target for malware and viruses
iOS is unvulnerable = less/no viruses or malware.

To date, I do not believe there is any existing viruses or malware for iOS. They do not even have virus protection for MACs because it is unnecessary.

[steeda763]

It's more like...

Windows is more vulnerable = target for malware and viruses
Android is more vulnerable = target for malware and viruses
iOS is unvulnerable = less/no viruses or malware.

To date, I do not believe there is any existing viruses or malware for iOS. They do not even have virus protection for MACs because it is unnecessary.

Antivirus software has been around for Macs since the introduction of viruses...

[Donnutt]

Antivirus software has been around for Macs since the introduction of viruses...

Yes, they have antivirus software for macs. The difference is you don't NEED it. Most of what antivirus for macs especially server editions do is protect the windows machines by removing windows viruses from emails and such.

And android is more popular because it's FREE and many devices use it. If Samsung, Nokia, and Motorola were able to use iOS it would be a different story.

Price point = popularity.

[sziklassy]

Yes, they have antivirus software for macs. The difference is you don't NEED it. Most of what antivirus for macs especially server editions do is protect the windows machines by removing windows viruses from emails and such.

And android is more popular because it's FREE and many devices use it. If Samsung, Nokia, and Motorola were able to use iOS it would be a different story.

Price point = popularity.

For the sake of argument, if you are an informed user, you don't NEED antivirus for windows either. there are also fantastic free options (from Microsoft themselves). This nonsense about Windows NEEDING antivirus and OSX not is just a bunch of misinformation being spread around the interwebs.

[Donnutt]

For the sake of argument, if you are an informed user, you don't NEED antivirus for windows either. there are also fantastic free options (from Microsoft themselves). This nonsense about Windows NEEDING antivirus and OSX not is just a bunch of misinformation being spread around the interwebs.

Unless you consistently are on top of your security with windows, you can just be sitting there and catch something. They've gotten better, but the fact is, windows is just not very secure. In windows, you can be logged in to an administrator account to which it just needs an OK button to change your system files. In OSX, you are asked for a password every time a program wants to change a system file. So far the only two viruses I've run into on OSX relied on you manually installing said Trojans, weakly disguised as an Adobe update or a "QuickTime Internet modules" update.
With windows however, viruses can and do access any file without permission.

I reccomend macs to everyone because you don't have to be an "informed user" to have a seamless computer that nothing ever goes wrong with.