Google’s operating system for mobile devices is more vulnerable to malware threats compared to other OS, new research has revealed.
A report by the US Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that about 79% of all smartphone malware targeted Android during 2012, with text messages contributing to about half of the malicious applications.
The report also found 19% of malware attacks were targeted at Nokia’s Symbian OS, followed by 0.7% at iOS and 0.3% at Windows Phone and BlackBerry.
Both the US federal agencies also noted that majority of Android users still run older versions of the OS which makes their devices vulnerable to several security malwares.
The report said that 44% of Android users are still using versions 2.3.3 through 2.3.7, known as Gingerbread, which were released in 2011.
"The growing use of mobile devices by federal, state, and local authorities makes it more important than ever to keep mobile OS patched and up-to-date," the report adds.
