Android threats rise sharply, with mobile malware jumping by 151% since start of year www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news…

Recent Malwarebytes threat research data reveals a sharp rise in mobile threats across the board, with malware targeting Android devices up 151%.

We’ve seen a 147% increase in spyware, a broad category of apps that collect user data without consent, with a notable spike in Feb and March. In fact, the February/March levels represent nearly a 4x multiplication of the baseline.

Perhaps even more alarming is a 692% spike in SMS-based malware between April and May, a jump that we can’t just chalk up to coincidence. It could be due to seasonal scams like those we always see around tax season, which hit consumers hard this year, or widespread campaigns like toll fee scams, which also come in surges.