Go slow on mobile apps, they may jeopardize your data

A threat report by McAfee Labs speaks of over 300 malware affecting smart phones everyday

GN Bureau | February 24, 2015


#mobile   #smart phones   #data   #mcafee   #security   #computer  

If you are mobile app crazy, go slow as app providers have been ignoring the most basic secure sockets layer (SSL) vulnerabilities and putting your data at risk. More than 380malwares are affecting the smart devices every minute says McAfee Labs Threats Report: February 2015. The security firm has detected potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) on 91 million systems each day.

"The vulnerable data included usernames and passwords and in some instances, login credentials from social networks and other third party services," the report says.

It has been reported that the malware samples have grown by 14 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2014. Asia and Africa are reportedly registering the highest infection rates.

The security firm sees PUPs becoming more and more aggressive, posing as legitimate apps while performing unauthorized actions such as displaying unintended ads, modifying browser settings, or collecting user and system data.

McAfee Labs tested the 25 most popular apps for vulnerable mobile apps last month. It found that 18 still have not been patched despite public disclosure. The list was prepared by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) at Carnegie Mellon University.

It was found that 18 have still not been patched despite public disclosure, vendor notification, and, in some cases, multiple version updates addressing concerns other than security. The report said most downloaded vulnerable app in this group is a mobile photo editor with between 100 million and 500 million downloads. The app allows users to share photos on several social networks and cloud services.

Comments

 

Other News

El Niño threatens India’s Rabi crops

India’s southwest monsoon ended with a 13% rainfall deficit in 2026, its weakest performance in a decade, raising concerns over agricultural production, water security and the upcoming rabi season. With El Niño expected to persist into early 2027, experts warn that declining soil moisture, dep

Regulating the data advantage: India’s new e-Commerce framework

For over a decade, India’s e-commerce story has rested on a simple premise: platforms connect buyers and sellers, while data fuels efficiency, personalisation, and scale. However, as the market matured, its structure has revealed a growing imbalance. E-commerce platforms, especially marketplace ent

Changing weather patterns, climate change responsible for Nepal floods

The interaction between active Western Disturbances, increased atmospheric moisture and the region’s complex topography aswell as global warming are important factors behind intense rainfall in the Himalayas, leading to flash floods in Nepal, according to meteorologists. Nepal

A right she cannot reach

Last summer, the two of us spent several weeks in rural Madhya Pradesh with a non-profit that works on gender justice through women’s self-help groups. We went in with a notebook full of laws. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. The Dowry Prohibition Act. Free legal aid for every wo

Tier-2 cities lead India’s digital credit push

Digital payments have become a reflex for urban India, but the confidence earned in paying has not yet carried over to borrowing. That is the central finding of `How Urban India Pays Report 2026`, released by Pahlé India Foundation in collaboration with Amazon Pay. Based on a survey of 5,149 consu

India calls for doubling bilateral trade with UK by 2030

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has called upon businesses in India and the United Kingdom to translate the opportunities created by the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) into expanded trade, investment, partnerships and job creation. Addressing the Bu

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter