Security Concerns For The Android: How To Protect Your Device

With the recent spate of hacking and malware activity, it might be a good idea to install a mobile security application. Or, at least, be more aware of the apps you install into your device.

While the Android is definitely a secure platform, there is one thing that LifeHacker points out rather succinctly: “Android is secure… Users aren't.”

In short, users themselves are the ones to blame for a malware infection, if it ever happens. The Android is based on Unix architecture, the most secure kernel code on the planet. It is so designed that the core code is locked away, and will need Admin permission to get into it. For the Android, that means the Superuser or Rooted mode. In order to deploy malware-infected apps, it will still boil down to gaining the user’s permissions, first.

In terms of numbers, these are what 360 Mobile Security found out in a survey:

• 90% agreed that mobile security is “very important.”

• 80% do not want to spend $5 and up on a security app.

• 66% of users said they were aware of the Android’s security vulnerabilities.

• 50% of respondents said that they do not use security apps.

• 50% didn’t realize they needed these.

• 44% believe that security apps should be free of charge.

Regarding concerns on security vulnerabilities, these are the things that the survey respondents were most concerned about:

• 27% were worried about apps considered “untrustworthy”

• 20% were wary about online payments

• 13% feared hackers

• The rest were concerned about the security of connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots, personal data leakage and theft, as well as single sign-on logins.

The good news is that, according to Google’s Android Security Report released in January 2015, less than 1% of Android users had their devices infected with malware. And those who stick to downloading and installing apps from Google Play, exclusively, were even less risk of malware outbreaks.

So be cautious with the apps you install, never install apps from third-party sources unless you’re really sure about the app, and install a good mobile antivirus to be doubly sure.