Android malware threats increasing in numbers

MUMBAI, INDIA: The Quick Heal Security Threat Report for the third quarter of 2014 (July -September) vouches for the fact that Android malware threats are only increasing in numbers, and same goes with the Windows platform.

Key findings for Android:

·   Quick Heal Threat Research Labs discovered 47 new Android malware families and 218 new variants of previously seen Android malware.

·   More than 70% of the 1.2 million Android samples detected came under the Adware classification. This is a trend that has continued all throughout 2014.

·   Android malware samples have almost tripled since Q1, 2014. This represents a 300% growth rate and goes to show the proliferation rate of Android security risks.

·   With upcoming festive sales expected to lead to a rapid surge in online purchases via smartphones, banking credentials are expected to be at risk over Android phones.

·   Fake apps and games have been discovered over Google Play and other third-party app repositories. These sources will continue to plague Android devices in the near future.

Key findings for Windows:

·   Almost 5% of detected malware samples, or around 650,000 samples, were of the infamous Kido worm. This shows that there are several machines still running the now obsolete Windows XP.

·   Quick Heal Labs have found an increase in the number of adware that afflicts Windows machines. Such programs usually come bundled with legitimate software downloads.

·   A ransomware called “CryptoWall” has been very dominant this quarter and has been detected on a lot of machines.

·   “Malvertising” is a technique that is increasingly being used to spread malware. Legitimate advertising networks such as Google Doubleclick are being used for this.

·   The BadUSB vulnerability is going to reach more machines. Herein, the controller chips of USB sticks are reprogrammed to spread malware whenever they are plugged in.

The threat landscape in this quarter also saw some new types of attack vectors such as Malvertising and Bad USB vulnerability. While IT security technology can help users avoid cyber attacks, it cannot replace basic cyber awareness. A reliable security solution when coupled with education can go a long way into making our digital space safe and enriching.