In 2015 , Android malware infections totaled 9.5 million . Cheetah Mobile Security Research Lab has discovered that all third - party app stores tested contained potentially malicious applications , some of which had been tested multiple times . Third - party app stores offer convenience to users , particularly in countries where official app stores are n’t available . They are however , poorly monitored , making the spread of malware much easier . Typically , malicious apps pretend to be legitimate apps from well - known companies . Even official sites suffer risks . The CMS Lab took 904,464 samples among its 1.6 million applications from Google Play, and just 48 potentially malicious applications was found. Google Play offers a safer environment , but even here although the percentage risk is lower , there are malicious apps , which can affect millions of users .
In 2015 , Android malware infections totaled 9.5 million . Cheetah Mobile Security Research Lab has discovered that all third - party app stores tested contained potentially malicious applications , some of which had been tested multiple times . Third - party app stores offer convenience to users , particularly in countries where official app stores are n’t available . They are however , poorly monitored , making the spread of malware much easier . Typically , malicious apps pretend to be legitimate apps from well - known companies . Even official sites suffer risks . Google Play offers a safer environment , but even here although the percentage risk is lower , there are malicious apps , which can affect millions of users .