Android – No Need For Anti-Virus Software

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The leader of Google’s open-source software team has severely criticised firms selling antivirus software for Android and other mobile devices. Chris DiBona should know what he’s talking about. DiBona is Google’s open-source Program Manager, and he was responding to a press report attacking the “inherent” vulnerability of open-source software as used by both Android and Apple’s iOS. DiBona claims Android, iOS, and RIM Blackberry operating systemss do not need antivirus software, saying on Google+ that “virus firms are playing on your fears to try to sell you protection software for Android, RIM, and IOS. They are charlatans and scammers. If you work for a firm selling virus protection for Android, RIM or IOS, you should be ashamed of yourself.”

Individual firms were not mentioned, but amongst those selling antimalware for these operating systems are Symantec, Intel’s McAfee F-Sscure, and Kaspersky. Sprint and AT&T are also muscling in on the action.

DiBona explained that although not totally immune to threats, mobile devices are inherently more secure than PCs. He pointed out that no major cellphone has suffered virus problems in the way that Windows and some Mac machines have done. He added that security breaches which had occurred “haven’t gotten very far due to the use of sandboxing models and the nature of the underlying kernels.

Sandboxing is the confinement of an application’s processes to specific portions of RAM and the restriction of its privileges to access other apps or the OS itself. This makes it more difficult for any compromised program to be used as a launch pad for attacks on other parts of the system. Strangely enough, mobile security software firms have not been quick to respond. However Juniper Net said last week that Android malware is on the rise, helped by a lack of reviews in the Android App Market. McAfee recently warned that Android malware is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and Symantec warned of fake apps dressed up as as genuine applications.

CNET

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