Bangalore: Smartphones are evolving each day into personal computers. They are portable, loaded with functions, and are always available at users’ disposal for nearly any type of work which could have required a PC. This seems great, but your smart gizmo can get infected too, though its OS is more modern and secure than your PC.

NQ, a security software vendor released a statistics in 2011 which reported around 24,500 threats for mobile phones, which were only 1,600 in 2010. This shows the alarming increase in mobile phone malwares.         

Sometimes it’s true that security software companies come up with exaggerating numbers, but they are the ones who have latest information on the malware threats. NQ’s chief product officer Gavin Kim revealed more.

 Malware can be any malicious software that can bring adverse effect on the device intending to harm the user, has same concept that of a computer virus. It may be designed to play a prank on user or to blow users’ personal and economic data. Malware may spread through links via shady emails or SMSs, or by downloading some stuff, or exchanging files via short range communications like Bluetooth

Mobiles phones are more enabled to carry out day to day user functions, be it social or financial. And the mobile phone eco system is growing huge; with more people going for Smartphones. This provides huge opportunity for the hi-tech goons to exploit mobile users for economic gains or simply for malicious purposes. 

Being cautious about your moves while browsing; security products could be indispensible; don’t download apps from un-trusted publishers; be careful about links in your emails-- these could be some of the measures the mobile users may have to take. 

If we rate it on mobile phone platforms, Kim says both Android and iOS are susceptible to viruses. While android being a more open platform it is easier to get infected, whereas Apple’s iOS is far more closed, so tough to get exposed to malwares, if infected tough to deal with too.