Ninety-nine per cent of all mobile malware that emerged in the first quarter of 2014 targeted Android, with only two threats being created on other platforms, according to a study.
The Mobile Threat Report, published by computer security firm F-Secure, shows a number of first time threats to the mobile operating system (OS) have arisen.
The company said a banking Trojan that infects Windows PCs transferring to Android devices when connected via USB has been found, along with a cryptocurrency miner and others that could access an infected devices audio and video functions.
HumanIPO reported earlier this year Android had become the most popular mobile OS in Africa, with the International Data Corporation (IDC) saying it accounted for over 80 per cent of all smartphone shipments worldwide.
F-Secure said malware authors are constantly attempting to circumvent security measures used by app stores to ensure only legitimate apps are offered.
“The Google Play Store is currently the largest – and certainly the most scrutinised – official app site catering to the international market. As such, when malware make it into this market, it has the potential to reach a much larger audience. Of course, that makes this store a particularly lucrative target for malware pushers,” F-Secure said.
Other platforms saw the creation of two threats, one for jailbroken iPhones and the other for Symbian.
The company also reported 19 per cent of all malware infections were botnet-related, linking together infected devices to increase processing power.
