Malware targetting Android phones grew by 35 percent: McAfee report

New Delhi:Malicious softwares developed totarget Android-based handsets and tablets grew by 35 percent in April-June this year and most of these malwares weredesigned to steal banking information of users, a report bysecurity solutions provider McAfee said.

The growth was marked by continued proliferation of SMS-stealing banking malware, fraudulent dating and entertainmentapps, weaponised legitimate apps and malicious apps posing asuseful tools, the report said.

"In the second quarter of 2013 Android-based malwareachieved a 35 percent growth rate which was not seen sinceearly 2012," it said.

[caption id="attachment_1053969" align="alignleft" width="380"] Representational image. Reuters[/caption]

Backdoor Trojans and banking malware were the mostpopular mobile threats this quarter. Ransomware, which holds acomputer hostage until the victim pays to free it, more thandoubled compared with last quarter.

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On banking malwares, the report said that many banks inIndia implement two-factor authentication which requirecustomers to log into their online accounts using a username,password and a mobile transaction number sent to their mobiledevice via a text message.

"McAfee Labs researchers identified four significantpieces of malware that capture the traditional user names andpasswords, and then intercept SMS messages containing bankaccount login credentials. The malicious parties then directlyaccess accounts and transfer funds," it said.

"We counted more than 17,000 new Android samples duringthis period. The year is certain to establish another record.New malware of all types exceeded 18 million this quarter,pushing our all-time tally to more than 147 million binaries,"the report said.

The second quarter also saw 16 per cent increase insuspicious URLs, 50 percent increase in digitally-signed

malware samples, and notable events in the cyber-attack andespionage areas, it said.

Among mobile platforms like Symbian and Java ME, Andriodhas seen the largest number of malwares, according to thereport.

PTI