Cape Town - One in nine Android mobile phones in Nigeria has malware-infected apps.
This is according to mobile technology company Upstream, which studied 415,000 transactions between November 2020 and January 2021.
According to their report, in emerging markets such as Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and Thailand, 16% of mobile devices that processed a transaction were found to be infected with malware, as reported by the BBC.
There were about 576 malicious apps in Nigeria, the report said.
According to csoonline.com, malware, short for malicious software, is a blanket term for viruses, worms, trojans and other harmful computer programs that hackers use to wreak destruction and gain access to sensitive information.
Many of the apps are still active and have yet to be removed from Google Play store, reported the BBC.
On many Android phones sold in Nigeria, these apps come pre-installed.
Only 2.6% of devices globally are reported to be harbouring high-risk apps, Upstream says.
"#Malware is an app you download to scan a QR code or play a game, but without you knowing, it charges you, runs your battery dry and depletes your airtime”. Our CEO, @dmaniatis discusses mobile malware with @GarethM at @bbcworldservice's @digitalplanet: https://t.co/dz0l4HwWUW
— Upstream (@UpstreamGlobal) April 21, 2021
According to American media tech outlet cnet.com, if you notice these things happening, your phone might be afflicted:
– You're seeing ads constantly, regardless of which app you're using, or when you install an application, and then the icon immediately disappears.
– Your battery is draining much faster than usual, or you see applications you don't recognise on your phone.
Furthermore, Upstream says that the risk of fraud has increased as more businesses and individuals have been using the internet via smartphones during the coronavirus pandemic.
African News Agency (ANA)