Attacks on Android mobile devices increase

New technology is being introduced rapidly for mobile devices, which are being used for everything from GPS systems to gaming, from tracking personal finances to business purposes. Considering the use of mobile devices is on the rise, attacks on the devices are at an all-time high.

According to mobile device experts cited in a recent Technology Review article, mobile devices and apps are often configured in ways that make them susceptible to malware and hacker attacks. Several new types of Android malware have been recently identified, showing that new mobile device intrusions are becoming more sophisticated.

One of the malware programs that was found was called Opfake, which is a fake web browser that automatically makes calls to premium phone lines. Opfake distributes a powerful deception that was previously only seen in desktop malware, according to the Technology Review.

Google recently announced an app prescreening tool called Bouncer that aims to counter the rising number of malware threats. The app checks other applications for malicious behavior, such as attempts to access personal data and send out pricey text messages. Google blocks the malware attacks before they get into the official Android Market, where consumers can download apps for free or purchase them.

According to Hiroshi Lockheimer, vice president of engineering for Android, the Android market saw a 40 percent increase in malware apps that were identified as being potentially malicious during the second half of 2011, which has caused an increase in the use of Bouncer.

Other mobile security companies are now testing new methods for Android users to quarantine and scan downloaded apps. One of the companies testing out mobile security apps recently found that 4 percent of Android users are likely to encounter malware over the course of the year, which is an increase from the 1 percent of users one year ago, according to the Technology Review.

With Android being the most popular smartphone operating system in the world, accounting for 52.5 percent of the global market at the end of 2011, hacker and malware attacks are expected to continue plaguing the market.

"There is a trend where malware is going to grow, and is going to evolve," Xuxian Jiang, a computer scientist from North Carolina State University, told the Review. "Google's Bouncer will be helpful to move in the right direction, but more work needs to be done to contain the malware growth."

Although the proliferation of Android malware poses a challenge for users and IT professionals, Google is hardly the only company facing issues with mobile security. With more than 6 million downloads of BlackBerry apps in the world every day, consumers should seriously consider securing their device with a reliable mobile device management tool, and IT pros should consider it imperative to explore options for securing workers' mobile devices.