Don’t panic about reports that 99 per cent of malware targets Android devices‚ but do take precautions to ensure your device is secure
BY STUART DREDGE
LONDON: Android is the most popular operating system for smartphones, by far, and it’s also the most open, in terms of how much you can customise your device — replacing its default keyboard, for example — as well as the approval process for developers to release new apps for it.
This openness is a boon for the tech–savvy Android user, because pretty much anything on their device that they don’t like can be swapped out for something better.
Android’s status as the world’s most popular smartphone OS means it has hundreds of millions of users who aren’t so clued–in on security.
Cisco’s annual security report claimed in January that 99 per cent of all malware in 2013 targeted Android devices, while security firm Kaspersky Lab suggested a similar figure of 98 per cent in December last year. “Android ticks all the boxes for cyber criminals — it’s a widely used OS that is easy to use for both app developers and malware authors alike,” said Kaspersky’s senior virus analyst Christian Funk, at a time when his company was detecting 315,000 new malicious files every day.
So, does Android have a big security problem? This is a question that is complicated by the fact that many of the companies warning about Android malware are also selling apps and services that promise to protect against it. But keeping your data safe on an Android device can be more about taking common–sense steps to minimise your risks.
With that in mind, here are five tips for ensuring that your Android device is safe:
1. Be cautious when installing apps
Using the Google Play Store to download apps already makes you among the more secure tiers of Android users — many dodgy apps are distributed through third–party.
Android app stores rather than the official ones. Candy Crush Saga, Angry Birds, Clash of Clans… fake versions of these regularly appear, so if something sets off warning bells (Candy Crush Saga 2, anyone?) it’s worth googling its title and checking its developer’s website to see if it’s a fake.
2. Watch out for phishing / SMS
Security on Android isn’t just about the apps that you install on your phone. As with any device — Android or otherwise — be on your guard for phishing, sites that try to get you to enter personal data and/or credit card details. Text messages and emails can all be phishing methods, and just because you’re on your phone doesn’t make them less dangerous.
3. Lock screen security
Have you got your device’s lock–screen settings sorted, so that if it gets stolen, the thief can’t access your apps and data? Google’s default settings will see you fair, but there are some third–party apps that take interesting and unusual spins on unlocking the phone.
Picture Password Lockscreen, for example, gets you to unlock your phone by drawing points, lines and circles on any image you like.
4. Consider anti–virus software
If you’d still like to take the extra step of installing anti–virus software — or if you’re thinking of putting it on the device of someone else — a number of options are available from the big names of the security world. AVAST Software’s Mobile Security & Antivirus, Bitdefender’s Mobile Security & Antivirus, Lookout Security & Antivirus, Kaspersky Internet Security, Trend Micro’s Mobile Security & Antivirus, Norton Security antivirus and McAfee Antivirus & Security all have four–star–plus ratings on Google play.
5. Consider a parental control app
You can follow many of the steps above, but can your children if they’re using your device, or have their own Android tablet and/or smartphone? A number of companies are trying to help with this challenge too, with parental control software capable of ensuring children don’t install apps that they shouldn’t, or compromise data on a shared device. Kids Place, Famigo, MMGuardian and Norton Family are four of the most popular examples, with varying features to control what apps are installed, what sites are being visited, and to set time limits on usage — and in some cases, add time as a reward for good behaviour.
