Mobile malware increased by 250%

According to the Malicious Mobile Threats report by Juniper Networks’ Global Threat Center, mobile malware numbers skyrocketed 250 percent in the past year. The report states that 61 percent of Juniper Networks detected that mobile malware infections are from spyware, which is the most predominant threat to Blackberry, Android and iOS operating systems.

According to the Juniper Global Threat Center, the greatest malware risk moving forward will be the rapid proliferation of applications through app stores, which are an ideal method for the delivery of malicious software to high volumes of mobile devices. The Center’s analysis of the Android Market shows that one out of every 20 applications requested permissions that could allow a call to be placed without the smartphone user’s knowledge or interaction. The study also reveals that numerous applications on the market contained malicious spyware, with Google Android malware samples growing 400 percent from June 2010 to January 2011.

‚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,‚ says Claus Villumsen, expert in Mobile Security with antivirus company BullGuard, a technology partner of Juniper Networks.

Villumsen recommends that all smartphone users install a security solution on their device and always double check that downloaded applications and programs are from a trusted source. Consumers should keep in mind that applications from Android Market are not security cleared before they are presented to users, while apps for iPhone and Symbian are reviewed and approved.

To address the growing threat of mobile malware, BullGuard and Juniper have collaborated to develop a security solution for smartphones. Now available on the Android Market and BullGuard.com, BullGuard Mobile Security 10 was created based on data from BullGuard’s more than 13 million users worldwide and protects 80 percent of mobile platforms including Android, Symbian, Windows7 and Blackberry. The solution is the most comprehensive on the market today and will include a mobile security app for the Apple’s iOS later this year.

“Consumers are moving their digital identity onto mobile phones by using them for the same tasks that they have used computers for in the past like online banking, e-mailing and social networks. Many smartphones are now as powerful as and have data storage capabilities similar to laptops, and the alarming growth in mobile malware shows that these phones are vulnerable to the same threats as computers,‚ Villumsen says.

‚With the debut of BullGuard Mobile Security 10 on the Android Market, Droid users can now benefit from the same expertise that has made BullGuard desktop security products so popular. There is no doubt that Android Market is a natural habitat for BullGuard Mobile Security, and will play a significant role in BullGuard’s online strategy,‚ Villumsen says. ‚ After all, Android Market is currently the second largest smartphone app store, only surpassed by Apple’s App store. We know the demand for smartphone security is quickly rising and as the Android platform is very exposed to security threats, Android Market is an obvious venue for us to offer our Mobile Security application to consumers.‚

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