Mobile phones are becoming a necessary component of our lives. Specially, smartphones are so popular among people that they consider it as a basic need of their lives. Among the smartphones, Android is the most popular mobile operating software, which is admired by majority of the smartphones users followed by iOS and Windows operating systems. Due to its reputation it is widely targeted by mobile malwares such as viruses. This virus damages the functions of the phone and helps in the effusion of confidential information. Good news for the iOS and Windows users, bad news for Anroid fans, Cisco’s 2014 Annual Security Report suggests that 99% of mobile malware software target Android platform.
It seems to be good news for other operating systems like iOS, Windows and Blackberry but awful for the Android users. From the Cisco’s 2014 Annual Security Report it can be easily concluded that these malwares enter the phone through SMS or Apps installed from non official market places. Malware is generated by the people that know the coding in Android. There are Malwares that are specially designed for Android, which means that if an iOS user install that infected app he will not get infected but, if the same infected app is downloaded by an Android user it will adversely result into a system collapse or slight damage to the software.
Android have attracted most consideration of malicious elements due to its growing popularity and comparative openness as compared to iOS and Windows.
Eric Schmidt has openly said that Android is more secure than iOS, but due to increasing issues of security and privacy this does not seem to be true. This doesn’t mean that all the Android devices are malware effected but it is more likely to solve the security issues in Android. Android is too disintegrated, manufacturers and carriers don’t want to release updates of which some are security updates. They need to solve this problem out. These burning issues are very hard to resolve as they are properly backed by organized crime elements. Rather than identifying the malware after its penetration in the system, it must be identified at the time of its entrance in the device.
In order to minimize the security risks, the security systems should be designed which must be operated directly by the user. Users can install the updates for security issues on the regular basis, plus using a password or pin and setting your phone to lock after a period of inactivity could be a more positive step for a secure and fast operating system.