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In the era of the personal computer, Apple Inc.’s machines were often less vulnerable to security threats than the alternatives. That may also be the case with the rise of smartphones.
Google Inc.’s Android operating system for mobile devices has had an almost sixfold increase in threats such as spyware and viruses since July, according to Juniper Networks Inc. That may increase the perception that Apple devices are safer than smartphones and tablets that run on Android, said Juniper.
“You’re not going to see nearly the number of infections on Apple as you see on Android,” said Dan Hoffman, who leads a team tracking mobile threats for Sunnyvale, California-based Juniper, the second-largest maker of networking equipment.
Most of the growth in Android threats comes from applications, or apps, available from third-party sites not associated with Google’s Android Market, according to data Juniper collected as of Nov. 10. Apple doesn’t face the same issue because iPhone and iPad owners can only get applications from Apple’s App Store, which is controlled by the company.
“The open nature of the Android system makes it more susceptible to attack,” Hoffman said in an interview. “If it’s on a third-party site, Google can’t remove it.”
Making malware is easier with Android software because the applications aren’t checked, the source code is open and the apps can be sold on external sites, Hoffman said. Android is free and available for download by anyone, while Apple screens each application added to its store. With Android growing faster than Apple’s system, it appeals to hackers seeking greater reach, he said. Of the thousands of infected Android apps, 55 percent contain spyware, which can gather data from phone use.
Google, based in Mountain View, California, and Apple, based in Cupertino, are vying for control of a smartphone market as computing evolves from desktop machines to mobile devices. While Apple has championed a closed system in which it makes its own hardware and doesn’t share its operating system, Google has opted for an open approach, allowing companies such as Samsung Electronics Co. and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. to use Android in phones and tablets for free.
Article source: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111115/BUSINESS09/111115032/1008/rss0903
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