Malware and virus are now focusing their attention on Android. Virus threats are the big price Android has to pay for being famous.
Openness is the very hallmark of Android, but it also makes it more vulnerable to malware attacks. A recent report released by security firm Lookout pointed that more than two dozen Android apps are infected. The outbreak dubbed 'DroidDream Light' took its toll on about 26 apps, all of which have now been removed from the Market.
DroidDream Light is the bare-bones version of 'DroidDream', a malware which infected 50 Android apps, back in March this year. The attack is believed to have affected between 30,000 to 120,000 users. Five developer accounts have been found to be behind these infected apps. These developers are Mango Studio, Magic Photo Studio, BeeGoo, DroidPlus and ET Tean.
Despite its moniker, there is nothing Light about this malware. The user is not even required to launch the app in order to spread the infection, something as innocuous as answering a call may trigger the spread of the virus. Lookout stated that malware collects tons of information including IMSI, handset model, unique IMEI identifier and SDK version.
Virus attacks are becoming common and are now setting their sight on hitherto safe avenues. Apple is also becoming an attractive target for such nefarious activities. Apple operating system is known for its security but the latest attacks show that the industry has developed to such an extent that it is ready to take on Apple. Google also seems to be facing the same challenge.