App stores big source of mobile viruses

(ECNS) -- The number of smartphone virus attacks rose by five times in 2013, and mobile application stores are the major source, CNTV reported on Thursday.

In 2005, dozens of cell-phone viruses were known to the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team Coordination Center of China (CNCERT). By 2013, that number had soared to 700,000.

Official statistics show that app stores and online cell-phone forums contributed to 62 percent of malicious software transmitted among mobile phones.

One example was the outbreak of the "fee-deduction Trojan virus" in July 2013. At one app store, a single application embedded with the virus was downloaded over two million times.

To crack down on the trend, the Anti Network-Virus Alliance of China (ANVA) has released a list of 23 reliable app stores. Smartphone users are advised to download apps only from authorized sources.

China is home to over 300 unofficial Android app stores.