91% of All Mobile Threats Affect Android Devices

There is no denying it, tablets and smartphones are becoming commoditized, and consumers are becoming more open to exploring more generic alternatives to the Apple brand which has been the undisputed leader over so many years.

Much of the growth within this space has been the result of Google’s incredibly popular Android platform, which serves as the platform of choice for most tablet manufacturers. One of the key characteristics that has allowed Android to thrive against Apple is the fact that they have a large app market which can compete with that of the Apple App Store.  Recent numbers suggest that Apple’s App Store has over 550,000 apps, and that Google Play (Android’s market) has about 400,000.

The fact that the Android platform is flexible and open source has made it very popular amongst manufacturers who wish to offer lower-cost tablet and smartphone alternatives. This has been a major reason for the rapid growth in the popularity and adoption of Android products. However, the same characteristics that have made Android so popular are now making it especially attractive to hackers, virus creators, and cybercriminals.

Leading security experts are now warning businesses and consumers that Android products may present serious security threats. Computer security company Kaspersky recently released the following findings regarding malware on Android products:

• 91% of all new mobile threats are targeted towards Android devices
• 18% of Android malware can be used as a backdoor which gives total control over the phone or tablet
• 2% of Android malware are designed to intercept sensitive information such as banking data
• The number of detected Android malware has grown 300% between the second and first quarter of this year

If you’re planning to purchase a new tablet or Android device, security should be a primary point of concern when making your decision. This is especially true if you intend to use this device for business, personal banking, or other uses which require security and confidentiality. In an effort to help keep your Android device secure, be sure to always keep the software up-to-date and to be very careful about what apps you install from Google Play’s marketplace.

This was a guest post by SaaSCanada, a site that helps Canadian consumers in selecting the most robust and secure online backup services so that they can keep their personal information safe from loss or destruction.