Using data collected from its Mobile Threat Network, The company Lookout released a full report on the state of mobile malware and security. The report details & compares the risks both Android and iOS platforms face.

Major Highlights

An Increase in Android malware:
Android applications infected with malware rose from 80 in January to over 400 in June. The result, Android users are two and a half times more likely to encounter an infected application either in the Market or through a third-party source now than they were at the beginning of the year.

New malware Distribution Techniques:
Malware writers can publish a clean app to the Android Market, wait until the app gets some positive reviews and gains in popularity. Soon after, an infected update will be released that will turn the application malicious. This is known as an “upgrade attack”.

iOS Users Don’t Patch Their Devices:
Since Apple distributes patches through firmware updates, users have to connect their iPhones to iTunes in order to fix the security exploits According to the report, 50 percent of iPhone users do not regularly sync their devices with iTunes to receive these critical updates. This won’t be as big of a problem with iOS 5 where updates are pushed over the air (provided users upgrade to iOS 5), but until then users are vulnerable.

As we mentioned in previous newsletters, anti-malware & anti-virus for your mobile device can help safeguard you from these threats. In addition, make yourself aware of the threats out there and keep an eye out for suspicious links or apps.

If you think you may have been infected, contact MTI today.