.png)
Android Malware: Infection & Spread
The Impact of Android MalwareCybercriminals who want to get into your Android device only have to do one thing to make that happen: Convince you to download a game. In mid-2017, a type of malware known as a trojan virus hid in plain sight in the form of a game called ''Colourblock'' on the Google Play Store. Unknowingly, more than 50,000 people downloaded what they thought was a game, but was really malware (short for malicious software).Malware can spread through Android devices in a number of ways.Android, malware, infection, virus, trojan, spread, impactThe trojan, called Dvmap, made it possible for cybercriminals to monitor devices on which it had been installed and even put new applications, or software programs, on the phone. And, it worked because the masterminds behind it first uploaded a clean version of the app to the Play Store, before subbing in the malicious version.You may be asking yourself, ''Why isn't this lesson about both iOS AND Android malware?'' Well, the answer is hidden in the example you just read. The Google Play Store ecosystem has fewer security measures in place when developers are introducing their apps to the public. This is unlike Apple's App Store, which has more rigid controls in place. Add to that Android consumers' ability to install apps downloaded from the internet, and you have an environment ripe for cyber attacks. Now, that's not to say that malware is unheard of on Apple devices, but the focal point of this lesson is malware and Android phones.What is Android Malware?Android malware is really no different than the different types of malware you may be familiar with on desktop or laptop computers. It's simply targeted at Android devices. Mobile malware is any type of malicious software or code designed to harm a user's device, such as trojans, adware, ransomware, spyware, viruses, or phishing apps.Where does it come from? A host of places! As we've already discussed, third-party app stores, where users go to download new games, for example, hide malware inside different types of apps. An Android user, unlike an Apple user, may also do what's known as sideloading an app. This does require the device owner to change security permission, usually labeled 'unknown sources. Users can then download content directly from the internet onto their device, or via their computer, bypassing the Play Store altogether.And, of course, there are a host of traditional places malware can come from, including malicious downloads in emails, visiting suspicious websites, or clicking links from unknown senders. Once malware invades your Android's space, it can do all types of things, from the mischievous to the downright fraudulent, including showing you ads continually or stealing and selling your sensitive data.How Android Malware SpreadsJust a few years ago, experts believed that a majority of the malware present in the mobile space was targeted specifically at Android devices. Why? The looser controls on Androids make it more likely cybercriminals can gain access. Here are a few ways that malware can spread on an Android device. See if you recognize any of these.
Read More.png)
.png)
