Google: Android malware cases halved in 2014

Google reports in its own report that the number of malware infections on Android devices decreased by 50 percent last year. The number of malware infections on devices that install software exclusively from Google Play is also said to be very low at 0.15 percent.

The report details Google’s findings on Android security. This concerns figures for 2014. According to the internet giant, significant progress has been made in tackling various forms of malware on the Android platform.

Worldwide, the number of installations of software containing malware is said to have been halved. Also, approximately 1 percent of the Android devices used in 2014 would have contracted a malware infection, while the number drops significantly if apps are installed exclusively via Google Play: this figure would be 0.15 percent. Most malware infections were identified by Google in China and Russia.

In its report, Google goes into detail about various types of malware infections on the Android platform. In addition, the company states that several features have been integrated in Android 4.4 and 5.0 that would increase the security level, such as the introduction of full disk encryption and the introduction of guest accounts. Scanning apps for potential threats would also be improved.