Google responds to Android security accusations

Google has responded to accusations of lax security in its Android Market application store and of offering apps that could be classed as "spyware".

Mobile security firm SMobile Systems published a report yesterday claiming that a significant number of Android applications could expose user data to third-party hackers.

SMobile said that the openness of the Google app store is its downfall, and that this presents an opportunity to defraud innocent consumers.

"Financial gain drives the paradigm of information security, and attackers now see consumer and enterprise smartphones as targets," the firm said in its Threat Analysis of the Android Market (PDF).

Google has said in its defence that it controls what applications are made available, but said nothing about the accusations of spyware.

"This report falsely suggests that Android users don't have control over which apps access their data," said the company in a statement.

"Not only must each Android app gets users' permission to access sensitive information, but developers must go through billing background checks to confirm their real identities, and we will disable any apps that are found to be malicious."