Google's (GOOG) New Android 4.2 Feels Somewhat...Virus-y (AVG) (FTNT)

December 10, 2012 12:32 PM EST
Just like eating the "Buttered Popcorn" Jelly Belly flavor, Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) latest Android OS (version 4.2, a.k.a. - "Jelly Bean") might leave a bad taste in some users months.

According to TheNextWeb, citing data from a study conducted at NC State University, Jelly Bean blocks only 15.3 percent of know application malware. The researchers used a dataset of 1,260 examples from 49 different malware families. The group installed some on the Nexus 10 tablet, which runs Jelly Bean. Of the 1,260 examples, Jelly Bean detected just 193 were harmful.

Then, you have the ten most-popular anti-virus agents: BitDefender, VlamAV, F-Secure, Fortinet, Kaspersky, Kingsoft, TrendMicro, AVG, and Avast. Findings point to the ten third-party apps detecting from 51 percent to 100 percent of all harmful apps.

Google recently acquire VirusTotal, but it doesn't appear that there was enough time to integrate some of the key features into Android 4.2. Maybe a later update will refresh the security of the mobile operating system, which is the most-used OS globally.

For the NC State study, click here.

You can cash in as more users install third-party protection; AVG Technologies (NYSE: AVG) and Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) are publicly traded, with a handful available OTC.


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