Android smartphone users more likely to download malware than iPhone users

This week,132 Android apps in the Google Play store were found to be infected with malware

Apple iPhone users are less likely to download malicious apps than Android smartphone owners - for now. Earlier this week, cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks discovered 132 Android apps infected with malware in the Google Play store.

One of the most popular apps had been downloaded more than 10,000 times.

Google has removed the apps.

"Our investigation indicates that the developers of these infected apps are not to blame, but are more likely victims themselves," Palo Alto Networks said in a blog post. "We believe it is most likely that the app developers’ development platforms were infected with malware that searches for HTML pages and injects malicious content at the end of the HTML pages it finds."

Why are hackers targeting Android users? Simple - it's easier.

The Google-developed operating system is "more open and adaptable," said security software company Sophos.

Any app featured in the iOS store has gone through an in-depth examination - the thorough process blocks "widespread malware infection" among iPhone users, but malware targeting iOS-based systems is on the rise, according to a report from SIXGILL last month.

Applications infected with malware are becoming problematic for app developers and users. Cybersecurity experts have warned smartphone owners to refrain from downloading third-party apps from unofficial sources, but the presence of malicious apps in official stores make it difficult for users to identify which ones can be trusted.