An overwhelming majority of Android and iOS apps have been hacked: report

 
Close on the heels of a number of recent mobile application-based attacks, such as WireLurker and Masque, comes a new report that says that a majority of apps on Android and iOS have been hacked. An analysis of mobile apps by Arxan Technologies has revealed that between 75% and 97% of apps, on both Android and iOS devices, have been hacked.
The security firm analyzed the top 100 paid apps and top 20 most popular free apps in its ‘State of Mobile App Security’ report to reveal that apps are not as safe and friendly as many believe.
The security firm found that 97% of the top, paid Android apps and 87% of the top, paid iOS apps have been hacked. Free apps did not fare any better, with 80% on Android and 75% on iOS found vulnerable. Though iOS has been considered relatively safer, the report says that the percentage of hacked popular iOS apps has steadily increased over the last 3 years.
Financial apps also risk
The report claims that 95% of Android financial apps reviewed were “cracked,” while 70% of the iOS financial apps were hacked. This is an increase in both cases, with Android’s growing about 80%. Even retail apps or apps that let you buy online , are not impregnable. According to the report, 90% of retail apps on Android and 35% of retail apps on iOS apps have been compromised.
Earlier, an analysis by Trend Micro, a global leader in anti-virus cloud computing security and internet content security software and services, revealed that fake apps were more likely to be high-risk malware rather than mere harmless copycats.