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"Android malware has risen by a whopping 614% over the past year, a report suggests. Research by security firm Juniper Networks suggests that there are now 276,259 malicious applications for the Google platform in circulation, up from 38,689 in the first quarter of 2012.   The company claims that the open nature of the Android platform and its position as market leader makes it a target for cyber criminals. Apple&amp;#039;s App Store runs stringent checks on all software that is submitted, making it more difficult for malware to slip under the radar.  While Google Play is policed to a lesser extent, there are numerous third-party app stores offering Android software with a more lax attitude to security. The fragmented nature of the Android operating system was also cited as a contributing factor, with the most prevalent Gingerbread 2.3 build lacking essential security updates. &amp;quot;Apple does a really good job with checking apps,&amp;quot; Michael Callahan, vice president of global security at Juniper, told The Register. &amp;quot;Google does a good job with the Play store as well, but there are hundreds of third-party Android apps stores. They&amp;#039;re enticing because you think &amp;#039;I can get this app for free&amp;#039; and they don&amp;#039;t realise it&amp;#039;s malware.&amp;quot; Juniper&amp;#039;s research also suggested that some legitimate free apps could pose a risk of privacy violation, with such software significantly more likely to track the user&amp;#039;s location and request access to their address book than their premium counterparts. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/android/news/a493886/android-malware-up-614-says-report/>