YOUR Android smartphone could be at risk following the publication of a new report that has insisted numerous antivirus apps for the software do not provide sufficient protection.
Android is Google's mobile platform that is harnessed by billions of devices across the world.
The software is renowned for its Google Play Store that provides access to a deluge of different applications.
In particular, antivirus software is prominent on the store with many claiming they are able to scan a user's device for malware and viruses.
However, it appears a high number of these programmes are not functioning in a manner users would expect, according to a new report.
AV-Comparatives, an Austrian organisation renowned for testing and assessing antivirus software, downloaded 250 anti-malware security apps from the Play Store and tested their effectiveness against malicious programmes..
The firm stated only 80 apps detected over 30 percent of harmful apps that were installed on a smartphone.
These included software fro the likes of McAfee and Symantec.
Moreover, it was added 138 detected less than 30 percent of malware samples that had been installed on the tested hardware.
Plus, it was said these programmes had a "a relatively high false alarm rate on popular clean files from the Google Play Store".
This means they would say some installed apps were harmful, even if they did not contain any malware or viruses.
AV-Comparatives said the 138 programmes in question were considered to be "risky".
The firm went on: "In some cases the apps are simply buggy, e.g. because they have poorly implemented a third-party eGett.
Others detect only a handful of very old Android malware samples, and allow any apps that contain certain strings, making them likely to pass some quick checks and thus be accepted by the app stores."
Additionally, the company also recommended the developers of the 138 apps remove them from the Play Store "until they can provide genuine and reliable protection".
It was noted some of the apps that failed to provide any degree of security were not actually scanning code on a user's device.
Android owners that have been using any of the applications that were listed as not providing great enough security have surely been putting their devices at a huge risk.
That is because the software in question may not have been detecting malware or viruses if they were present on a device.
It is recommended if you want to download antivirus software for your Android device that you obtain it from one of the developers listed by AV-Comparatives that performs more accurate testing overall.
Others detect only a handful of very old Android malware samples, and allow any apps that contain certain strings, making them likely to pass some quick checks and thus be accepted by the app stores."
Additionally, the company also recommended the developers of the 138 apps remove them from the Play Store "until they can provide genuine and reliable protection".
It was noted some of the apps that failed to provide any degree of security were not actually scanning code on a user's device.
Android owners that have been using any of the applications that were listed as not providing great enough security have surely been putting their devices at a huge risk.
That is because the software in question may not have been detecting malware or viruses if they were present on a device.
It is recommended if you want to download antivirus software for your Android device that you obtain it from one of the developers listed by AV-Comparatives that performs more accurate testing overall.
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