macOS and Android: Both are booming malware markets (report from Malwarebytes)

[LASER_oneXM]

A new report from Malwarebytes reveals Android ransomware rose 137.8% from Q1 to Q2 2017, and macOS malware is at its highest levels ever. Here are the threats the two platforms face.

Malwarebytes released a report today on the malware threat faced by what it calls the "other" platforms: Android and macOS. In contrast with the known threats faced by Windows computers, Malwarebytes says Android and macOS are more vulnerable than many people think.

It's a long-held belief that Macs aren't vulnerable to malware, and unfortunately for the overconfident that's anything but true. As Apple's market share has increased malware that targets its products has skyrocketed, and the same has been true for Android devices.

The threats facing Android
While Android malware reports only increased 5.5% from Q1 to Q2 2017, ransomware infections spiked by 137.8%, making it the biggest threat currently facing Android users.

The most common forms of ransomware detected by Malwarebytes were Jisut (a screen locker), SLocker (encrypts files and demands payment for key), and Koler (doesn't encrypt, but pops up a fake warning screen demanding payment). Those three families accounted for 95% of Android ransomware infections in the first half of 2017.

Accounting for 47% of overall Android malware infections in the first six months of the year were potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). These include adware, clickers, and other apps that perform hidden functions in the background.

Malwarebytes predicts that the biggest threat facing Android users in the latter half of 2017 and into 2018 will be PUPs.

The macOS threat landscape

macOS hasn't been doing well on the malware front lately. Q2 2017, Malwarebytes says, was bigger for macOS malware than the entirety of 2016. Add to that the discovery of more new macOS malware families in 2017 than any year on record and you have a clear indicator of the vulnerability of Apple computers.

The threats facing macOS are different than Android or Windows, which is somewhat good news. Rather than ransomware and malware, which the report says is the smallest concern for macOS, PUPs and adware dominate.

 

[mlnevese]

It's just a question of time for dangerous malware to hit the MacOS. All the malware authors need is to be certain there is profit to be made. OS exploits are not cheap in the black market as many journalists have reported.