Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Mobile Malware Is a Major Threat in India, Remains Rare in Japan

    Written by

    Robert Lemos
    Published June 6, 2013
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      The incidence of mobile malware varies tremendously across the globe with developing nations having a larger proportion of malicious programs compared with more industrialized nations, according to data released on June 5 by mobile security firm Lookout.

      In its “Mobile Threats Around the World” study released as an infographic and blog post, the company found that adware dominated all forms of malware. However, the average user’s chances of encountering malware in any one-week period varied from less than 1 percent of more than 5 percent, depending on where they live.

      The look at five nations showed that Indian users had a 5.5 percent probability of encountering malware in any seven-day period, while Japan had a 0.78 percent chance of being exposed.

      “The mobile threats are significantly dependent on the location where the user finds themselves,” said Jeremy Linden, senior product manager for Lookout. “While the vast majority of threats are adware, certain regions have to contend with other threats as well.”

      Trojan horse programs, which appear to be a benign application but actually allow the attacker to control the device, comprise a third of all malware in Germany and a quarter in the United Kingdom but only 13 percent of encountered threats in India. And while surveillance programs made up 14 percent of all encountered threats in the United States, they accounted for barely 1 percent in Japan.

      Adware was the most common threat. The average Lookout user had a 1.6 percent chance of having adware installed on their device, Linden said. Adware is so common because it inhabits a gray area: The definition is still in flux on which advertising practices are so aggressive that they cross the line into maliciousness. In May, the company proposed guidelines for advertisers who wanted to remain off the company’s list of adware developers.

      “While adware is on the bottom end of the risk spectrum, it is certainly the most pervasive threat in every region of the world,” Linden said. “We consider any software that disturbs your mobile experience by putting out-of-app advertisements in the notification bar or sending off personal information to a third-party server to be adware.”

      Globally, a user has a 0.53 percent chance of encountering a Trojan horse program in any seven-day period, and a 0.22 percent chance of encountering a chargeware program, which attempts to use premium SMS messaging or some other method to charge fees to the victim’s account, according to Lookout.

      “While adware is the largest threat, actual malware such as spyware and surveillance software are proliferating,” Linden said.

      The ability to install applications from nonofficial app stores, known as sideloading, and the ability to monetize infections through premium SMS messaging are two major indicators of the likelihood of encountering malware in any particular region. Japan does not allow premium SMS messages, thus removing a major monetization method for malware writers, which is likely the reason for the low probability of encountering malware in that country, said Linden.

      Conversely, sideloading is quite common in India and other nations beyond the United States, and that is a major reason that the chance of encountering malware is so high.

      “Without sideloading, it prevents you from loading the malware in the first place. And without premium SMS it prevents the malware author from making any money from his creation,” he said.

      While China and Russia have higher rates of infection, Lookout focused on the countries that produce the most reliable data on malware infections, Linden said.

      Robert Lemos
      Robert Lemos
      Robert Lemos is an award-winning journalist who has covered information security, cybercrime and technology's impact on society for almost two decades. A former research engineer, he's written for Ars Technica, CNET, eWEEK, MIT Technology Review, Threatpost and ZDNet. He won the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists in 2003 for his coverage of the Blaster worm and its impact, and the SANS Institute's Top Cybersecurity Journalists in 2010 and 2014.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×