UPDATED 08:02 EDT / JUNE 15 2011

Mobile Games: the Perfect Guise for Android Malware

Angry Birds sound too good to be true; an addictive, time-fritting game that’s now being  monetized in every way possible, even beyond its creators.  However, here comes the drawback: a plethora of malicious Android apps is piggy-backing on its popularity, disguising themselves as Angry Birds game add-ons. Though Google claims to have already removed them, a new crop just keeps on coming back every week.

Android games are appealing to customers, more so to those who are unaware of the threats brought about by some titles in the Android market, and it’s wicked how these malicious Android apps can be made in just 5 easy steps, as demonstrated by Symantec researchers last week at Next@Norton event. Additionally, mobile games are being linked to social accounts’ achievements and leaderboards for comparison purposes, giving hackers the opportunity to hack personal account information.

A recent Bullguard survey in the UK shows that 55 percent of 2,000 UK mobile users don’t think they need online security. Mobile security issues are growing alongside the swelling demographic of mobile users, particularly tablets. It’s a wakeup call to IT retailers that it’s about time they consider mobile security among their top concerns. A reader survey by SearchMobileComputing.com reveals that reader expects to see the largest year-over-year investment on, sequentially: tablets, smartphones and mobile security solution.

The emergence and massive proliferation of mobile devices is a particularly new area of monetization for cyber attackers and security app makers alike. Mobile security solutions are ranked third to receive the largest investment per annum, growing alongside the widespread of portable devices as people want to keep connected while on the go.  It’s a new frontier across the board, and as the mobile ecosystem evolves, so too will the good, the bad and the ugly.


A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:

Your vote of support is important to us and it helps us keep the content FREE.

One click below supports our mission to provide free, deep, and relevant content.  

Join our community on YouTube

Join the community that includes more than 15,000 #CubeAlumni experts, including Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy, Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, and many more luminaries and experts.

“TheCUBE is an important partner to the industry. You guys really are a part of our events and we really appreciate you coming and I know people appreciate the content you create as well” – Andy Jassy

THANK YOU