Mobile Application Security

APPENDIX AMobile Malware

Even before the advent of smartphones, malicious software and viruses were already a recognized threat to mobile devices. Although the prevalence of such malware has not yet reached the level of desktop platforms, mobile devices are becoming an increasingly attractive target. Before the advent of application mass-distribution outlets such as Apple’s App Store and the Android Market, mobile applications were obtained in an ad hoc fashion by savvy users from arbitrary websites, with no vetting of the apps by a third party. This resulted in a low bar for malware authors, but the spread of these programs was limited due to ...