A sneak peek at security features in the upcoming Android L release

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Article from Issue 169/2014
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Google says the upcoming Android L release will be far more secure than its predecessors.

Despite the immense popularity of the Android mobile operating system, one significant damper on the euphoria is the lingering sense that Android devices lack security. Although virtually any business laptop today comes with convenient features for encrypting the hard disk, comparable features in Android smartphones are rare. Smartphone security in general, and security of Android phones in particular, is not good if you believe the media reports.

Kaspersky Lab had already discovered the 10-millionth Android malware app by the end of January 2014, despite the fact that Google Play lists hardly more than a million apps. Of the 350,000 unique mobile threats and more than 840 threat families, 98-99 percent now target Android.

The full gamut of Windows malware also exists in the Android universe: worms, adware, backdoors, monitors, risk tools, malicious remote admin tools, SMS flooders, and a full set of trojans: downloaders, droppers, fake AV, PSW, SMS, spyware, clickers, bankers, and ransom tools.

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