Nokia Threat Intelligence Lab report shows 60% infection accounted by smartphones and mobile network now. Report also reveals that there is also increased malware risk on iOS. In Android, malware risk is growing faster and there is a also increasing risk of ransomware on mobile. The report shows that the Malware Threat for Windows PCs has been going down and declined from 0.75% to 0.49% on Windows-based PCs connected to the Internet via a mobile network in the second half of 2015.
Nokia Threat Intelligence Report at a glance:
- Due to a decrease in adware activity, the overall infection rate in mobile networks declined from 0.75% to 0.49% on Windows-based PCs connected to the Internet via a mobile network in the second half of 2015. Adware is a software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material (often unwanted) when a user is online.
- In the same time period, smartphone infection rates increased and now account for 60% of infections detected in the mobile networks.Android continues to be the main mobile platform targeted.For the first time since the report began, iOS-based malware – including XcodeGhost and FlexiSpy – is on the top 20 list. In October 2015 alone, iPhone malware represented 6% of total infections.The XcodeGhost malware was injected into apps through a compromised software development kit that was used by Chinese developers to create legitimate apps distributed via the Apple App Store. Apple has removed these apps from the Apple Store, but some malware remains active.
- Ransomware – malware that effectively holds a device hostage by encrypting data and then locking it – like CryptoLocker has been around for a while on Windows PCs, but 2015 saw several varieties attacking Android, as well. Recovery can only be achieved by paying the attacker a ransom fee via a prepaid cash voucher or with bitcoins.
- Mobile malware is becoming more sophisticated in the techniques it uses to persist on the device. It is becoming very difficult to uninstall and can even survive a factory reset.
