Trend Micro reports 1410 percent rise in Android malware

Smartphones are truly among the best gadgets one could possibly lay their hands on. But, popularity, especially of this kind is a double-edged sword. While it continues to simplify life by a vast measure, it also makes for a viable target for those who're up to no good. According to a report put forth by Trend Micro Inc., a well-known name in the global cloud security arena, there has been a massive increase in the malware that hit Android-based smartphones in the last six months. The rise is almost fourteen-fold, which comes upto a whopping 1410 percent rise in the malware attacks on the Android platform. 

Harbouring danger? (Image source: Getty Images)

Irrespective of the operating systems that a user picks, smartphones, in general owing to their immense popularity become easy targets. Further in the report, Trend Micro also states that some time ago, Vodafone was accused of shipping, as many as 3,000 infected HTC smartphones running on Android. According to the Trend Micro report, an infected computer in the production line had caused the problem. Samsung, too was rebuked in a similar fashion when it accidentally, through its new S8500 Wave smartphone, spread malware (WORM_AUTORUN.WAV) and almost had a user's PC infected when the phone was connected to the PC. Applications too, make for an important part of any smartphone. This popularity, too makes it vulnerable to several threats. Users, generally do not wait to check if all the apps they download are safe to use, thereby making them more vulnerable to malware attacks. 

The report asks users to adopt some safe habits while trying to access or download content on their smartphone. Practices like downloading apps from only trustworthy sites, avoiding less than secure browsing, using the smartphone's built-in security features, and installing an adequately function security software provided by a noted security provider, have been recommended by Trend Micro.

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