A new study that was partly funded by Google found that approximately 87 percent of Android devices are susceptible to known mobile phone security flaws, according to Engadget. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge and examined 20,000 users who ran the Device Analyzer app in the background.
Alastair Beresford, one of the researchers, claims that the high level of security risk among Android phones is the fault of manufacturers who don't issue security patches on a regular enough basis, which leaves them vulnerable to malware and other issues.
"Our hope is that by quantifying the problem, we can help people when choosing a device and that this in turn will provide an incentive for other manufacturers and operators to deliver updates," Beresford said.
The study also found correlations between brands; in particular, phones from LG, Motorola and the Google Nexus brand are more secure than most, according to CBS News.
In order to decrease this risk, Android users are highly encouraged to only get their apps from the Google Play Store, according to Green Bot.
"Unfortunately, Google can only do so much, and recent Android security problems have shown that this is not enough to protect users," said Beresford. "Devices require updates from manufacturers, and the majority of devices aren't getting them."
