With the increase of smartphones, it is a commonly accepted truth that mobile malware that can infect smart phones is on the rise. Android operating system, because of its open environment and sensitive API access to developers, is a large target for cyber criminals. Anyone with essential Android programming experience can build complex Android malware that can greatly damage end users.
Typical mobile malware is nothing but common malware that runs on mobile devices. What malware does is highly dependent on what the malware creator wants to reach. Setting these factors in mind, the following are some features of Android malware:
– Stealing private data and sending it to the attacker’s server (private data includes SMSes, calls, contacts, recording calls, location, pictures, videos, browsing history, and IMEI)
– Transferring premium SMS that cost money
– Rooting the device
– Giving an attacker remote access to the device
– Installing additional apps without the user’s consent
– Working as adware
– Stealing banking data
Cybercrime is worth huge money. So while people go away from using computers and toward smartphones and tablets as their main computing devices, digital criminals have taken note. Mobile devices are the next large target for cyber criminals tending to make quick cash.
