The complexity of Android malware is increasing

259 new mobile threat families and variants of existing families were discovered by F-Secure Labs in the third quarter of 2013, according to the a new mobile threat report for July-September 2013. 252 of these were Android and 7 Symbian. The number is an increase from the 205 threat families and variants found in the second quarter.

In another step in the march towards Android malware commoditization, reports surfaced in July of a new toolkit, Androrat APK binder, which simplifies the process of inserting malicious code into legitimate Android apps. And in a sign that complexity of Android malware is increasing, one in five mobile threats are now bots, says the report.

Thanks to security measures in place in the Google Play store, fewer malware threats are appearing there. Instead the growing concern in Google Play is with apps that infringe on privacy by overcollection of data.

SOURCE: net-security.org