BT: Almost every Android device is infected with malware

Update on July 30 - BT backpedals on claims almost every Android device has malware

British Telecom (BT) has made some rather eyebrow-raising statements about Google's mobile operating system. We all know Android malware is a problem, but a BT security expert speaking at the NetEvents Americas conference has just made it sound like an epidemic that is affecting everyone.

"We analyzed more than 1,000 Android applications and found a third compromised with some form of active or dormant malware," Jill Knesek, head of the global security practice at BT, said according to EE Times. "Almost every device is compromised with some kind of malware, although often it's not clear if that code is active or what it is doing."

I've been covering the Android malware issue for quite some time, and while there is definitely more and more of it in the wild (last month was particularly bad), there is no way BT's claims are on target. I'm not sure which 1,000 Android apps BT chose to use in its analysis, but I doubt they were randomly picked. I find it very hard to believe that one third of Android apps contain malware and that almost every device has one of said apps installed.

This made me wonder why BT would be making such statements. I know that the U.K. telecom service provider sued Google over Android as well as other products late last year, but that's not enough of a reason for BT to hate on Android. This seems to me like some kind of miscommunication, a quote that has been taken out of context, or simply a poorly informed BT employee.

I have contacted BT about these claims. I'll update you if and when I hear back.

Update on July 30 - BT backpedals on claims almost every Android device has malware

See also:

• Warning: New Android malware tricks users with real Opera Mini
• Warning: Fake Skype app on Android is malware
• Malware charges users for free Android apps on Google Play
• Android malware families nearly quadruple from 2011 to 2012
• Warning: GTA, Super Mario on Google Play are Android malware
• Warning: Fake Instagram app on Android is malware