In its recent study, Juniper Networks uncovered some very interesting facts on the growing risk to Android base mobile devices.
The time line for the development of the threats is as follows
Android Attacks: 2010
- January 2010: First bank phishing application for Android
- March 2010: First Android โbotnetโ
- July 2010: GPS monitoring embedded in Tap Snake game
- August 2010: First Android SMS Trojan
- November 2010: โAngry Birdsโ proof-of concept malware demonstrated
- December 2010: First pirated Android application, Geinimi
Android Attacks: 2011
- January 2011: ADRDย and PJApps available in China
- March 2011: Myournet/DroidDream, the first Android malware available and distributed through Android Market on a large scale, affects 50,000 users.
- Googleโs solution, the Android Market Security Tool, was also pirated and turned into malware in China.
- April 2011: Walk-and-Text pirate puts egg on usersโ faces.
- April 2011: Research at IU Bloomington results in โSoundminerโ proof-of-concept communications interception application.
Overall there was a 400% increase in Android malware since summer 2010
In summary, the bad guys have seeย the growth of the Smartphone marketย and are turning their skills into the development of tools and attack vectors for the operating systems on them, including Android.
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