Apple may be hogging the tech headlines, but its operating system isn’t the most popular as far as the mobile device market is concerned. The first place belongs to Android.
Together with Apple’s iOS, Google’s equivalent makes up virtually the mobile device market in the world. But based on the data from Strategy Analytics, Android takes more than 86 percent of the share. That of Apple declined to less than 13 percent during Q3 2016.
Android is popular for a variety of reasons, but the number one is the fact the platform is not proprietary. It then provides manufacturers, such as Samsung, the flexibility they need to design products and services that are more suitable to their target market. Let’s also not forget that with high volume, Android devices are significantly cheaper.
But the massive market growth of Android also works to its disadvantage. These include being a hotspot for hackers and other cybercriminals.
Cyber attacks Cripple Android
In 2016, CNN reported information from Check Point, a cybersecurity company, pertaining to a massive attack on the Android system. Hackers were able to access no less than 1 million Google accounts, exposing not only emails but also confidential documents.
Hackers were able to do this by penetrating Android phones via illegitimate or unauthorized apps. Although the criminals didn’t do anything with the files, they also manipulated the rating systems of certain apps in Google Play Store. Most of all, the threat was so serious it infected over 10,000 devices on a daily basis.
But it doesn’t end there. In 2017, Verge revealed that as many as 41 percents of devices running on Android were vulnerable to a new exploit that would allow cybercriminals to intercept personal information via WiFi. Hackers were also so adept that they didn’t even have to guess the wireless network’s password to inject malware into the devices.
In a more sinister plot, Gizmodo shared a growth hacking campaign that spies on thousands of users. According to the report shared by Electronic Frontier Foundation and Lookout, a group called Dark Caracal could activate the phone cameras and microphone, as well as access information from emails to chats and call logs, by infecting Android devices with fake instant messaging applications.
The Growing Demand for VPNs
The effects of these illegal activities can greatly vary. At the very least, they can slow down the speed of the devices. At worst, these cybercriminals can hold your devices hostage. For example, they can delete important files if you don’t pay a ransom. They can steal your personal information such as credit card details and then ruin you personally and financially. They can blackmail you and put you in dangerous situations.
The easiest thing to lower the risk is to avoid using devices altogether, but in this day and age, it is no longer practical. Thus, Android users are focusing on the next best option: installing virtual private networks (VPNs). In order to understand the benefits of this would be interesting to read the Review Express VPN
VPNs work similarly to leased lines. They give you access to a more secure and private network, which lowers your exposure to hackers and other cybercriminals. But unlike leased lines, they don’t have the hefty price tag. Each time you connect to a network using a VPN, your data is kept safe and encrypted so that no hacker could have access to it.
Most of all, you feel more secure. The channels are private, out of the prying eyes of cybercriminals and even of the state. It becomes easier and more convenient to share important content across networks even if they’re found all around the globe.
They also complement your existing security protocols, which include antimalware programs and firewalls. In fact, VPNs can have a kill switch. When a VPN suddenly stops working or disconnects, it makes you, the user, vulnerable. It is because the network switches to a public server. The worst thing is you may not even know it happening.
With the kill switch, the VPN can also shut down your Internet connection when the app experiences technical issues. This way, it continues to protect your privacy.
VPNs for Android come in many different forms, and some are certainly better than others. The Nordvpn app for Android defiantly got my attention for its many benefits. Just to name a few, you can now view content such as movies or TV shows that may be restricted in the region or country you’re in.
It’s essential you research well, but overall, Nordvpn provides the protection and security you need so you can enjoy your device peacefully.
