How to Protect Yourself from Android App Malware

Your Android-powered smartphone could pose a security risk. There, I said it. The nature of Google's "open" operating system would seem an open invitation to hackers, and now there's proof that malware-infected apps have invaded Android Market.

Before you run screaming for the hills (or your local Apple Store), pause for a reality check. Just because a few dozen apps were found to have malware doesn't mean all of them do. And if history is any indication, the media will go hog wild over this story, even if the threats themselves are minimal to most users. (As far back as the PalmPilot, we've been warned about mobile viruses -- but nothing ever comes of it.)

That said, there are steps you can and should take to keep your phone -- and data -- safe.

1. Use common sense, same as you would when choosing software for your PC. Make sure your Android apps come from a reliable source, and don't install "fringe" apps from developers that have only one product or are new to Android Market.
2. Steer clear of apps that sound too good to be true, like "10,000 Free Wallpapers." It may be legit, but it's also exactly the kind of bait hackers love to use. When in doubt, skip it.
3. Install Lookout, a free (and trusted) security, privacy, and backup tool for Android. (It's also available for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.)
4. Read Lifehacker's excellent guides on how to tell if an Android app is malware and how to protect your Android phone against malware apps.
5. Buy an iPhone. I'm kidding, of course, but much as developers seem to collectively hate Apple's stringent app-screening process, end users have new reason to love it. When was the last time you heard about malware in the App Store? That's right: never.

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