Android OS Not Safe At All - Kaspersky Labs

[Jazmac]

Kaspersky Says Windows Phone Is the Most Secure Mobile OS

In an interview with ITWire, Eugene Kaspersky, the CEO of the Russian security company bearing his name, explains that Windows isn?t actually as insecure as some might be tempted to believe, adding that Microsoft has been making serious efforts to block most types of attacks and keep users secure.

The data Kaspersky collects from its users, which includes virus samples and information on new malware, allows the company to develop new ways to prevent threats from impacting our computers but also to generate statistics to see which systems are the most vulnerable to attacks.

But as far as Windows is concerned, Microsoft has managed to make Windows a much better operating system than iOS, OS, and Android, and the company ?is tightening it much more in the next version.?
Indeed, Windows 10 will come with several new security features, including Windows Hello, a new tool that will enable biometric authentication and allow users to log in by scanning their face or even their iris, thus making sure that unauthorized access doesn?t occur.
Mobile platforms, on the other hand, are becoming much more important targets for cybercriminals worldwide, and it?s no wonder why. Everyone has a phone these days, except for Kaspersky, who says that he doesn?t need one, so attackers are trying to break into their devices to access private data.
Android isn?t really safe, Kaspersky adds, explaining that that are millions of brutal attacks. Windows Phone is at the opposite pole because so far ?it is very clean,? as he explains.

 

[EBUK]

Kaspersky Says Windows Phone Is the Most Secure Mobile OS

Windows Phone is at the opposite pole because so far “it is very clean,” as he explains.

I imagine this is down to market share rather than the OS being inherently secure. We have to accept that any device that requires human intervention to operate is never going to be 100% secure. Those who make malware will target the largest possible audience. On mobile devices, that will be Android. On the desktop, it remains Windows.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I imagine this is down to market share rather than the OS being inherently secure. We have to accept that any device that requires human intervention to operate is never going to be 100% secure. Those who make malware will target the largest possible audience. On mobile devices, that will be Android. On the desktop, it remains Windows.

I believe more issues with Android security are caused by users, not by the popularity of Android. Too many people who don't understand what they're doing install apps from APK's at dodgy sites. It's really no different from a Windows PC user who gets malware from pr0n sites.

 

[hotphil]

"Android isn't really safe" says firm selling make-it-safer software. :wink:

 

[Slovenix]

I believe more issues with Android security are caused by users, not by the popularity of Android. Too many people who don't understand what they're doing install apps from APK's at dodgy sites. It's really no different from a Windows PC user who gets malware from pr0n sites.

Exactly. It's simple as that. I don't even know how can you get a virus on Android

 

[Laura Knotek]

I read the original article from iTWire, and it was a bit confusing. That article states (regarding iOS):

So far the only attack has been via rooted iPhones or over the lightning cable.

To quote Kaspersky from an earlier iTWire article “The most dangerous scenario is with iPhones. It is less probable because it is very difficult to develop malware for iPhones, because the operating system is closed to outside programmers. But every system has a vulnerability. If it happens—in the worst-case scenario, if millions of the devices are infected—there is no antivirus, because antivirus companies do not have any rights to develop true end-point security for Apple.

However, last week there was this: Severe iOS bug prompts iCloud password theft | ZDNet
It doesn't say anything about the iOS devices needing to be jailbroken.

So about the only thing that can be agreed upon is that Windows Phone is safer than iOS or Android. However, Android cannot be singled out, when there are exploits of iOS too.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Exactly. It's simple as that. I don't even know how can you get a virus on Android

You can't. Viruses infect a system with no interaction from the user. Android malware doesn't infect a system unless a user specifically agrees to install it himself/herself. Whats the difference between Android malware, spyware, adware and a virus? | Android Central

 

[Laura Knotek]

If the device is rooted, there are certain ways to gain access without user consent. However a third party app like Superuser/Supersu must have full permissions first. Which most do. =/

Good news is, you'd have to be targeting that device specifically. Which unless you're a very important person, that's a lot of work for nothing. LOL


Sent from my iPad Mini 3 using Tapatalk.

But the device can't be remotely rooted. The user has to root first.

Sent from my Nexus 7 (2013) using Tapatalk

 

[Jazmac]

"Android isn't really safe" says firm selling make-it-safer software. :wink:

What can I say. Its a feel good story if nothing more. But the takeaway is, they are admitting they won't make much money on our platform.

 

[ajj3085]

I imagine this is down to market share rather than the OS being inherently secure. We have to accept that any device that requires human intervention to operate is never going to be 100% secure. Those who make malware will target the largest possible audience. On mobile devices, that will be Android. On the desktop, it remains Windows.

In this case its not really marketshare; Apple has a big marketshare (in the US anyway) and they don't have the virus problem Android has. And it does have exactly to do with what apps can even do on the phone. Apple doesn't let you do much of anything, Android lets you do pretty much anything, and WP is in the middle. I always ran the AVG app when I had an Android.