How are Many Android Users at Risk?

Currently, Android has 82.8 percent share of the Smartphone market globally.

Samsung has played an important role in ensuring that Android devices continue dominating this market with the release of S6 Edge and Galaxy S6. Other products that have made a positive contribution in this include ZTE, Xiaomi and Huawei. Despite the gains, Android devices are still at great risk of infection by all sorts of malware.

1.4 Billion Active Monthly Users

With such a massive share of the Smartphone market, it is astounding that the Android devices are at such risk. Users might be less appreciative of the fact that their devices are not as safe as they would love to believe. The fact that more than 1.4 billion Smartphone users prefer Android devices globally and that they have access to around 1.6 million apps only makes the situation a bit more precarious.

Apps are the Carriers of Attacks

If the 1.4 billion monthly Android users feel that their devices are at great risk, it follows that the apps are also prone to malware attacks. In fact, the devices are at risk mostly because of the malware that some of the apps bring onboard. Android phones are much cheaper than Apple devices. This could have something to do with the increasing levels of attacks from malware, worms and viruses that seem to target Android devices specifically.

With plenty of vulnerabilities affecting Android devices, it is no wonder that they are atgreat risk. Currently, experts have identified a gaping hole in the Android software that makes the devices vulnerable to attacks. Crucially, the gaping hole makes it much easier for hackers to take control of any device just by using the phone number of any particular user. This vulnerability, which affects around 950 million (67 percent) of all Android devices does not need you to:

• Open any attachment
• Download a corrupt file

Malicious Codes

The vulnerabilities occur when a user receives a malicious code. His device could even receive the code without the user being aware of its presence. The malicious code takes control of the device immediately it gets on the Android phone. The malicious code takes charge even before the device notifies you that there is a new text message to read. The fact that the malware can work silently is what makes it completely dangerous to 950 million Android devices.

Therefore, with the news that 950 million Android phones are at risk, it is important for users to find a way of dealing with the vulnerabilities. Google, which is behind Android, has released patches that should fix the vulnerabilities. The nature of the partnerships that Google has with developers means that around 20 percent of Android devices that are at risk will receive the solutions on time.