Android apps run in the sanbox, an isolated area that has no access on the system, except for the access permissions that the user explicitly grants when installing the app. Before installing the app, the Play Store will display all the necessary permissions, for example: a game needs to activate vibration or save data on the SD Card, but it doesn’t need permission to read SMS or access the phonebook. After reviewing these permissions, users can choose to accept or deny them, and can install apps only if they accept them.
Android’s sandbox and permissions system can reduce the impact of vulnerabilities to bugs on apps, but developer ignorance and limited documentation have resulted in apps routinely requesting unnecessary permissions, reducing their effectiveness. Several security software companies such as Avast, Lookout Mobile Security, AVG Technologies and McAfee, have released their antivirus software for Android devices. The software actually doesn’t work effectively because sandbox also works on the app, limiting its ability to scan the system in depth.
Research results from security firm Trend Micro show that misuse of premium services is the most common type of malware that attacks Android; text messages will be sent from infected phones to premium phone numbers without the user’s consent or knowledge. Other malware will display unwanted advertisements on the device, or send personal information to unauthorized third parties. Security threats to Android are reported to be growing gradually, but engineers at Google maintain that malware and virus threats on Android are being exaggerated by antivirus companies for commercial reasons, and accuse the antivirus industry of taking advantage of the situation to sell their products to users. Google confirms that the presence of malicious malware on Android is actually very rare, and a survey conducted by F-Secure shows that only 0.5% of Android malware comes from Google Play.
Google recently used the malware scanner Google Bouncer to monitor and scan apps on Google Play. This action aims to flag suspicious apps and warn users of potential problems with the app before they download it. Android version 4.2 Jelly Bean was released in 2012 with enhanced security features, including a malware scanner built into the system; This scanner not only checks apps installed from Google Play, but can also scan apps downloaded from third-party sites. The system will provide an alert notifying the user when the app tries to send a premium text message, and block the message, unless the user allows it.
Android smartphones have the ability to report the location of Wi-Fi access points, especially if the user is on the move, to create a database containing the physical locations of hundreds of millions of those access points. This database forms an electronic map that can position the smartphone’s location. This allows users to run applications such as Foursquare, Google Latitude, Facebook Places, and to deliver location-based advertisements. Some third-party monitoring software can also detect when personal information is sent from the application to a remote server. Android’s open source nature allows security companies to customize devices for highly secure uses.
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