The Ukraine conflict is causing a significant decline in malicious apps for Android devices. While there were more than 1.3 million Android apps with dangerous malicious code in the first six months of 2021, the number of malicious apps fell to around 700,000 between January and June 2022 - a decrease of 47.9 percent.  

Reinforces other goals

The reason: Cybercriminals have increasingly been targeting other digital targets since February. As a result, the pace of cyberattacks has decreased significantly: criminals publish a dangerous app every 23 seconds on average. In 2021, there were only 12 seconds between two malicious Android applications.

However, it is too early to talk about relaxation. Cybersecurity experts recorded a significant increase in infected apps again in June 2022. At the same time, the number of attack attempts averted has fallen less sharply than in previous months. The decline compared to the comparable period is only 27.2 percent.

“Smartphones with outdated Android versions are and remain a major security risk. If these devices no longer receive security updates, they are also vulnerable to old malware. Basically: All smartphones with Android 10 or lower version numbers are to be classified as unsafe. Users should therefore regularly check which operating version is installed. If an update is no longer possible, you should consider purchasing a new device.”

Stefan Decker, security researcher in the mobile team at G DATA CyberDefense

No security without updates

The past few months have shown how important Android updates are, especially to fix critical security gaps in the operating system. If these updates are missing because the Android version is out of date or manufacturers do not provide additional security updates, the security of the device is at risk.

The following statistics from Statcounter illustrate how big the problem is:

  • In June 2022, the current Android 12 version was installed on 28 percent of all Android devices, and another 29 percent had Android 11 installed.
  • Android 10 is still installed on every fifth device.
  • But that also means: 20 percent of smartphones and tablets run older versions of Android and therefore do not meet the current security standards introduced by Google with Android 11 and Android 12.
  • To do this, attackers use old malware that still works and exploits vulnerabilities in these devices that are no longer protected by security updates.

“Many smartphone owners are lulled into a false sense of security. They keep their old, unsafe device because the battery still lasts a long time. But this is misunderstood sustainability and comes at the expense of personal safety. Despite Google’s efforts to enable updates for longer, politicians and device manufacturers have so far failed to create framework conditions that balance security and sustainability.”

Stefan Decker

In the long term, attacks on smartphones will increase again as the devices increasingly develop into the central all-in-one device of the digital world. They are used for two-factor authentication or enable digital payments and will replace keys or ID cards in the near future. These features make them a worthwhile target for criminals.

Article image: pixabay
Source: G DATA Mobile Security

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