Malware increasingly targeting Android-based devices

BANGALORE, INDIA: The number of targeted malware attacks aimed at smartphones spiked 33 percent this year, according to the results of a two-year-long study conducted by mobile security firm AdaptiveMobile.

The firm compared results from 2009 and 2010 to arrive at its conclusion.

“With the increasing pervasiveness of smartphone devices, 2010 has undoubtedly been the year that fraudsters have truly turned their attention to mobile platforms,” AdaptiveMobile COO Gareth Maclachlan said.

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Attacks aimed at Android-based devices rose the most, according to the report. Threats against Android smartphones increased four-fold, but remain modest in total number compared to older platforms.

Java-based applications experienced the second-highest increase in reported malware infections, up 45 percent over 2009 results. Threats for the iPhone and Symbian-based devices both decreased, with the latter falling 11 percent, according to the report.

AdaptiveMobile also predicted that smartphone penetration will reach 37 percent of Europe's population and 44 percent of the U.S. population by 2012.

Mobile malware also figured prominently in the list of security trends for 2011 recently identified by anti-spyware vendor Lavasoft. The firm said as more financial transactions services are offered for mobile devices, cyber criminals will leverage security vulnerabilities to steal information.