Webroot Releases New Mobile Threat Report that Reveals Year-Over-Year Growth and Complexity of Mobile Threats

Report Indicates Employees Using Mobile Devices Expose Company Networks and Corporate Data to Malicious Applications and Attacks

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Feb 19, 2014, 06:16 ET

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Feb. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Webroot® threat report details the rise in potentially threatening mobile applications and reinforces the need for IT managers and employees to be aware of mobile threats. Conducted by Webroot, a leader in internet security software as a service, the report indicates that as employees continue to use their own devices and personal applications for work purposes, more threats are introduced into the workplace, putting company networks at risk. The report also provides suggestions and best practices to reduce the risk to corporate data from employee-owned mobile devices.

Key findings from the Webroot Mobile Threat Report include:

384% increase in total threats to Android devices in 2013.
42% of applications for Android analyzed were classified as malicious, unwanted, or suspicious.
Infection risk comparisons between the Android and iOS® platforms.
29.3% of all tracked SMS infections stem from gaming applications.

The new report, based on data collected by the Webroot Threat Research team, analyzed more than 5.9 million mobile applications (apps), 31,000 infections, nearly 125,000 Lost Device Protection activations, and infection rates from millions of customers. The increased risk is caused by malicious apps including those which require rooting the device, send premium SMS messages, and collect all available data. The report stresses the importance of downloading apps from reputable sources such as Google Play and iTunes®. Many third party app markets do not apply strict security standards and can unknowingly host malicious files.

"Consumers are very trusting of mobile applications such as Facebook, Twitter and Angry Birds – they are apps they know and have used for some time. However, it's the thousands of unverified apps, often found on third party markets or P2P networks, that put users at risk," said Grayson Milbourne, security intelligence director at Webroot. "The report shows that this line of thinking is dangerous; poor app choices can lead to the compromise of an entire corporate network. The need to secure mobile devices will continue to grow as the discovery of new exploits and malicious apps increase—all driven by a clear focus on mobile platforms within the cybercrime community."

The proliferation of mobile devices, particularly personal devices used in the work environment—known as "bring your own device" or BYOD—can expose corporate networks to higher risk and the continued growth of the platform for Android is of particular concern. The data indicated a nearly 4X increase in the volume of potentially threatening apps for Android in 2013, while a recent report from Strategy Analytics indicated Android powered 79 percent of all smartphones shipped during the same period. While allowing such devices to access company resources aids productivity, the increased potential for compromise opens up a risk vector for which IT personnel must take into account.

The report also draws analysis from more than 31,000 sample infections to Android devices and reveals compelling results. To get a copy of the new Webroot Mobile Threat Report and read the comprehensive analysis of current mobile threats, visit www.webroot.com/mobile-threat-report-2014 or visit Webroot at the RSA Conference 2014 in San Francisco on February 24 – 28, 2014, booth #832. Webroot representatives will be available to discuss the report and demonstrate Webroot® mobile security intelligence solutions.

About Webroot
Webroot® is the market leader in cloud delivered security software as a service (SaaS) solutions for consumers, businesses and enterprises. We have revolutionized internet security to protect all the ways you connect online. Webroot delivers real-time advanced internet threat protection to customers through our BrightCloud® security intelligence platform, and our SecureAnywhere™ suite of security products for endpoints, mobile devices and corporate networks. Over 7 million consumers, 1.5 million business users and 1.3 million mobile users are protected by Webroot. Market leading security companies, including Palo Alto Networks, F5, Cisco, Aruba, NetCitadel, GateProtect, Microsoft and others choose Webroot to provide advanced Internet threat protection for their products and services. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Colorado, Webroot is the largest privately held Internet security company in the United States – operating globally across North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. For more information on our products and services, visit www.webroot.com

© 2014 Webroot Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot, SecureAnywhere, Webroot SecureAnywhere and BrightCloud are trademarks or registered trademarks of Webroot Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Webroot