New malware strains designed specifically for smartphones surged 33 percent this year and will surely increase dramatically in 2011 as more smartphones and tablet PCs enter the consumer and business markets.
As Enterprise Mobile Today reports, Android-powered smartphones were particularly hard hit this year hackers acknowledged the devices’ growing popularity and adjusted accordingly.
AdaptiveMobile’s report found that identified exploits for Android surged 400 percent from 2009 but quickly added that the total number of Android exploits is “still at a low level relative to older platforms.”
In fact, Nokia’s Symbian saw its number of identified new exploits fall 11 percent and the iPhone saw a similar percentage decline. Windows CE-based viruses rose 7 percent while the number of exploits impacting smartphones running Java-based apps jumped 45 percent from 2009.
Malware specifically targeting mobile devices rose 33 percent in 2010 as hackers quickly pushed out new campaigns designed to capitalize on the popularity of smartphones and the fact that far too many users cast caution to the wind when accessing and sharing data from their mobile companions.
The sharp spike in mobile malware, according to a new report from mobile security software vendor AdaptiveMobile, was to be expected as demand for smartphones and mobile apps skyrocketed to record levels in 2010.
