Internal US government memo warns authorities about Android malware threats

[onehandle]

Source: TNW



Public Intelligence has published a joint release from the US Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice cautioning government workers about the severity of malware threats on the Android platform. According to the government’s findings, 79% of mobile operating malware threats in 2012 took place on Android, compared to 0.7% on iOS.

The unclassified roll call release put forth Android as the “primary target for malware attacks,” citing its dominant market share and open source architecture. The document went on to remind federal, state and local authorities to update and patch their mobile devices.

A chart included with the memo depicted Nokia’s decaying Symbian platform as the second highest target of mobile threats at 19 percent. BlackBerry and Windows Mobile each received 0.3 percent of threats.

Read more: http://thenextweb.com/google/2013/08/26/internal-us-government-memo-warns-authorities-about-android-malware-threats

[targetpractice]

1. Is this an example of why an open platform is better than Apple's closed ecosystem?

Or, perhaps, this is this because iOS has such a small marketshare that it's not worth the malware writers' effort.

[pnwmom]

3. The Apple i-phone had a 25% market share last year, and growing.

Apple's market share would be worth the malware writer's effort -- if it didn't take so much effort.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/01/25/apples-iphone-grew-to-251-global-market-share-in-2012

[targetpractice]

7. That's was the point I was trying to make, sarcastically. ;-)

I was wondering if I would hear that tired excuse recycled... You are right... It is true that the OS X and iOS architectures are more difficult to exploit.

[pnwmom]

8. I thought you were being sarcastic at first -- and then my thinking got derailed.

My son has an Android so I'm used to arguing with him about which phone is better.

[targetpractice]

11. You are right, Mom. ;-)

[onehandle]

4. I absolutely agree. Android is the Windows of 2013. Malware and all. nt

[defacto7]

6. The subject is Android...

Not open platform in general. I know you would love to mesh the two but no. iOS is UNIX anyway so again you can't apply your sarcastic hypothesis. Oh, were the world able to separate the facts from the business... we would be so much further than we are.

[targetpractice]

10. Sarcasm aside... My contention is that iOS and the Apple ecosystem is more secure than Android's.

What is your point of view?

[defacto7]

13. I agree.

Android is not representative of open source though. It's just a bad platform for the everyday user. It doesn't need to be that way but the things that could protect it are not implemented to their best potential. Allowing almost unlimited application sources is probably it's biggest hole. You have to work hard to put holes in UNIX based systems from the outside; that is an understatement. in UNIX terms, if the system is purposefully, negligently, or opportunistically left unprotected it's as easy to manipulate as anything out there and the average user has no idea.

So on the serious side, we seem to be in agreement on this point.

[targetpractice]

16. We are... I look at a product holistically (tech+execution+big picture strategy)...

In Apple's case the iOS "ecosystem" is a collection smart choices made by Apple: state-of-the-art hardware industrial design, advanced battery design, iOS user experience atop Darwin/BSD Unix foundation, plus a well-thought out set of business policies for the App Store, iTunes Match, etc. The upshot is a very secure and enjoyable product to own and use... and commit to.

Personally, the major difference that I've noticed between me (an iOS fanboy) and my Android loving friends... has been that I $BUY$ apps and then use them daily... My Android friends don't use their phones like I do beyond the free social apps (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare, Twitter, and whatnot). I would not consider switching from iOS because of my investment in iOS apps and iTunes content.

[defacto7]

17. Key words...

"my investment"

Be well!

[targetpractice]

18. My favorite apps (my investments) are also simply not available on Android.

Just so I know where I stand.. What phone do you prefer?

[shaayecanaan]

23. Which apps? nt

[Xyzse]

26. It isn't that. I guess it is by design that it is like that

Android Apps are not regulated, which allows for more freedom in regards to what is available out there.

iOS developers have to go through Apple for their apps to show up in their store.

Google Play has tried to limit this a little bit, but the Android OS is designed to be able to install apps not in their store.

Meaning, there are far more choices in the Android Market and going around the internet.
It is basically the Wild West in regards to Android, while iOS is far more regulated.

There are positives and negatives in this. I tend to enjoy having things a bit more open, but that's just me. That is why anti-virus programs are important for these Smart Phones after all. Still, due to the ease of creating exploits and malware for the OS, then of course it will be heavily targeted.

Besides, even if people disregard the idea of "market share", it seems that the Droid OS has captured about 79% of Market Share. So of course it becomes more highly targeted.

http://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/07/android-dominates-nearly-80-of-smartphone-market-ios-drops-to-13-share/

Still, you're right, the iOS is pretty stable, particularly due to the Store Process. There are distinct limits, and gives less ability to mess around the phone.

It is two different methods. I tend to prefer open rather than the closed idea of turning these types of technology as vanity accessories.
--
Oh! Full Disclosure...
I love the Navigation feature native to the Android. It gives me directions and it updates maps by itself. That is my most used App. I tend to use Mint, and my ukulele tuner. The only other things I have installed in my droid are my bank apps.

I saw iOS maps, but I am not really sold on it. Besides my phone tends to be my onboard GPS which is completely free. It has been introduced to the iPhone once more though.

I don't particularly care what phone I have. I even had a Windows Phone, which is actually decent. Their navigation feature at the moment sucks, so I went back to my droid.

[MindMover]

2. Bet you could use marketshare on the graph to compare same percentages of total operating systems

[onehandle]

5. Even when Android was in the minority, it had the vast majority of malware.

That's what you get with a phone that comes free with a cheap suit.

[shaayecanaan]

9. Half of the malware are SMS trojans

targeting Froyo or older devices (ie pretty old). These prompt the user's phone to call premium services and run up a large bill. The other half consists of application-borne malware which is installed as a result of infected apks downloaded from pirate app websites, and rootkits, which are embedded in devices by dodgy carriers.

Yes, Android is a less secure platform than ios, in the same sense that a knife is less secure than a crayon. However, unless you actually take steps to cut yourself with that knife, its not going to hurt you. Ultimately, that is a necessary tradeoff of having a more versatile device.

Enjoy your crayon.

[defacto7]

14. Agreed.

It's not that the system needs to be changed (that much) the average user needs to want a better and more secure system. That takes just a little bit of knowledge... and I mean a 4th grade level of interest.

[MindMover]

12. LOL, my android system has more software and is faster than any other phone on the market.....

[defacto7]

15. Same here.

It's the "god I can't do it for myself" or "I don't want to think, I don't want to think" mentality that's the real problem.

[targetpractice]

19. Faster at what? And, more of what kind of software?

Be specific... Android has more free titles, but anything worth buying and using everyday?

[shaayecanaan]

20. i cut off the internet at my apartment

Instead I use the mobile hotspot function on my phone, which serves the two PCs and tablet I have. I save quite a bit on internet and line rental this way.

I also stream video from my phone to my tv , mainly movies for the kid. Even at 1080p, it barely chugs, even with all the other stuff I am doing at the same time. A lot better than apple TV and also free.

Theres other stuff as well. I can hook my phone up to my T!V via hdmi or streaming and use Nintendo emulators, you can even use a Wiimote as a controller over Bluetooth. Playing earthbound is way more fun than whatever casual shit they are selling on the apple store.

Bunch of other stuff. I used to have cm installed on my work phone, a particular build that enabled me to record phone calls. That was bloody handy. I think that there might be serious business in making an app that can record and transcribe to text your calls on the fly.

I don't really give a shit about apps. 99% of then are crap anyway. But you couldn't even begin to do most of this stuff on apple.

[MindMover]

22. The only things you can do on apple is what apple wants you to do.....

there marketing is selling you something that makes you think you absolutely positively cannot do without it....it started with jobs telling us we needed a glorified typewriter ... with a markup 10 X what it cost to make....capitalism is really cool ... for the 1% ....

[TM99]

21. I really get sick of the articles used as iFan propaganda.

There may be more malware, but is it really less secure?

There are more Android devices in the world than the other manufacturers combined, so it is a big target.

Android is an open system which means that you can install apps from outside of the walled garden of a single app store.

But Android is also capable then of greater security because an intelligent user with little effort can block ads, add antivirus, and easily avoid malware.

Naturally then the Feds will include warnings concerning Android, and I can guarantee you that any Android devices accessing any Fed system will be vetted by IT security guys just as they are in businesses around the globe.

Now let's turn to the iPhone & iOS:

http://www.neglectedpotential.com/2013/01/sslol/

https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity13/jekyll-ios-when-benign-apps-become-evil

http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/apple-ios-security-defeated-by-sneaky-ap/240160105

http://www.phonearena.com/news/40-of-iOS-apps-invade-your-privacy-without-permission-reveals-app-before-getting-pulled_id32483

http://news.yahoo.com/iphone-found-more-vulnerable-android-smartphones-180734025.html

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/03/05/ios-apps-leak-more-personal-data-than-do-android-apps---report

In the end though, I think this graphic about sums it up nicely.

http://www.veracode.com/resources/android-ios-security

Personally, I use both types of devices. I have a rooted Android tablet locked down tighter than a drum, and I have an iPod Touch 4G which has been jailbroken. With it, I can now fully secure the device against all vulnerabilities and security concerns.

Knowledge is power. Once you know what you are dealing with, just deal with it in a smart fashion.

There isn't a computer system on this planet that isn't vulnerable in one way or another.

But fanboys will be fanboys.

PS - I swear Onehandle either works for Apple Inc, owns some serious stock in Apple Inc and their retirement requires it to stay uber high, or they are one of the biggest Apple fanboys, I have ever seen!

[Supersedeas]

24. Knowledge is power--that's why this article is important

[TM99]

25. Well then here is more knowledge

and therefore power.

http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/08/ios-and-android-weaknesses-allow-stealthy-pilfering-of-website-credentials/