Botezatu noted that 'one of most important things that can happen with Android is privacy invasion.' Mobile malware can allow cybercriminals to intercept messages, monitor calls, steal personal information, and even listen in with the device's microphone. The most common malware regardless of platform is related to short message fraud and personal life invasion. The analyst went on to say that 'people look at phones more like phones, rather than intelligent computers,' adding that most people don't understand that these devices are susceptible to malware similar to the strands found on PCs. While most mobile malware is found in countries like Russia and China, users from Europe and the United States aren't completely immune.īogdan Botezatu, a senior e-threat analyst for security firm BitDefender, explained in an interview with CNET that malware is more accessible than ever before because 'no coding is required to bind Android apps with malicious programs.'

This massive user base has caught the attention of cybercriminals, who have begun to double down on their efforts to illegally obtain personal information from Android owners. In fact, research firm Strategy Analytics found that 81.3 percent, or 204.4 million, of smartphones shipped in the third quarter of 2013 were powered by Android. The open-source operating system that is led by Google is now found on more than half of all smartphones. The adoption rate of mobile devices continues to soar, with Android leading the way.

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