Nine Important Facts About Android Malware Risks - Channel Insider

Channel Insider, By Maggie O'Neill

One in five Android-device users may be at risk of a malware attack, according to a study conducted by Kaspersky Lab in collaboration with Interpol. At the greatest risk are Android users in Russia who often pay for online services and content using Short Message Service, making them attractive targets for cyber-criminals. But Kaspersky's "Mobile Cyber-Threats" study, based on data collected from August 2013 to July 2014, shows that users of Android devices in the United States were also at risk of attacks, but to a lesser degree than those in other countries. "While security solutions are a must, criminals will always find other victims and devices that are not so well protected," said John Murdock, vice president of channel sales for Kaspersky. "We expect to continue to see not only individual cyber-criminals targeting the Android platform, but organized criminal groups, as well. The only thing that can stop them is wider adoption of security solutions to make it harder for them to attack and the involvement of law-enforcement organizations." Study results were tabulated using Kaspersky's cloud-based Security Network, which includes more than 5 million users of Android-based devices. Here are key takeaways from the study. Read more.