Trend Micro reports Google's Android operating system is extremely susceptible to attacks from cybercriminals due to holes on both the OEM side and Google side. The security firm estimates the number of Android threats may exceed 1 million by the end of this year, with the top threats being pieces of premium service abusers, adware, data stealers and malicious downloaders.
The top three threat types include premium service abuser, adware, and data stealer. Malicious downloader, rooter, and click fraudster round out the bottom three. Premium service abuser took the top spot as the main threat to Android users. As the name suggests, premium service abuser will, for instance, send a premium text or call without the permission and then leaving the user with the bill. Cybercriminal favors premium service abuser for tapping into people’s wallet because it is “simpler to create and less risky to use compared to committing credit card fraud or distributing fake antivirus.”
