A report from Juniper Global Threat Center has juicy information on those cool, “open” Android devices. It turns out having a smartphone with an open platform such as Android isn’t as beneficial as you may have first thought. From 2009 to 2010, malware on Android increased 400 percent, and that’s not even the worst news.
Since July 2011, Android malware has increased 472 percent. The 400 percent mark, which previously took a full year to get to, has been quickly and easily passed in just four months. That’s a whole lot of bad news for Android device owners, and this is only the beginning.
What can you do to avoid malware? You can download an anti-virus app from the Android Market; but this solution often gets pricey. Sprint and McAfee teamed up earlier this year to provide virus protection on Android phones, but it will run you a monthly fee, as will Norton’s Mobile Security. There are some free options, but they often fail to get the job done.
As an Apple fanboy, you might imagine that I’m rolling around in this. Well, I am. The ongoing closed vs. open battle between iOS and Android users just completed another round and iOS claims victory. Because of Apple’s approval process in the App Store, iPhone users don’t have to worry about any malicious apps or paying for anti-virus on their smartphone. The controlled environment ensures that we are worry-free. Android does not have an approval process in place, therefore any app — safe or not — can sneak right into the Market.