Mobile malware targets Android

Mumbai: The Android platform has become the favourite hunting ground for mobile malicious programmes, with a very small amount targeting Java and Symbian-based smartphones.
According to Kaspersky Security Bulletin 2012, 99 per cent of newly discovered mobile malicious programmes target the Android and  2012 was the second year to show explosive growth in Android malware. From a negligible eight new unique malicious programmes in January 2011, the average monthly discovery rate for new Android malware in 2011 went up to more than 800 samples.
In 2012, an average of 6,300 new mobile malware samples were identified every month and this number increased more than eight times in 2012.
“SMS Trojans” was one of the most vicious of the malware which drain victims’ mobile accounts by sending SMS texts to premium-rate numbers while “Back-doors” provides unauthorised access to a smartphone, making it possible to install other malicious programmes or steal personal data.
“Spyware” another lethal malware targets the unauthorised collection of private data, such as address books and passwords. According to Kaspersky in the first half of 2012, Backdoors, SMS Trojans and Spyware accounted for 51 per cent of all the newly discovered Android malware.