Mobile Malware Targets Android Devices 78% of the Time

Mobile malware infections are increasing rapidly and the news is grim for Android users. Smartphones have been found to account for 78% of all mobile network malware infections and Android-based devices are targeted in 74% of mobile infections. This was reported in the new Threat Intelligence Report from Nokia. This is double the numbers from the second half of 2015.Some of the more active programs for this are called Acecard and GM Bot. These can: mimic financial-services applications, tricking unsuspecting users into giving up credentials, gain remote access to devices, intercept SMS messages, as well as other actions.

If you need to do any financial business online, do it from an Internet connection that you know is secure such as your office or home. Don’t log into these accounts or any accounts that store sensitive information about you or someone else from a public Wi-Fi location. Although most of the time these days, even the WiFi at your favorite café or the library requires a password, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. After all, it doesn’t take much effort to get the password and anyone can be lurking in there attempting to hijack your connection to your financial institution. If you absolutely must go into your account when you are out and about, use your smartphone’s cellular data connection instead. The risk of someone intercepting your information is lower.

And don’t go clicking on unexpected links or attachments that you receive in text or SMS messages either, even if you know the sender. This is usually how mobile malware ends up on your device.

If you like to click on ads that appear on your smartphones, use caution doing that too. Some of them may be loaded with malware that can even lie in wait until you open up your financial apps. It can all happen without you having a clue that it’s going on in the background.

One more thing. If you haven’t installed anti-malware software on your mobile devices, take some time to do it. Hackers count on the fact that most people don’t bother to do this, making mobile devices particularly appealing the cyber criminals. SAS and Javelin Strategy & Research found in a study that less than one-third of smartphone users have mobile antivirus installed. Don’t be one of them.

Don’t get a false sense of security if you use Apple or Windows products either. They are not immune. Nokia found that those were hit 4% and 22% respectively.  Some of the mobile malware found included spyphone applications, ransomware, SMS malware, and aggressive adware. The busiest month for mobile malware infections was April. Perhaps hackers get spring fever.