According to a new global research mobile malware has reached a new stage of maturation with Google Android malware jumping 3,325 percent in last seven months of 2011alone. These findings were released by Juniper Networks on Thursday from its 2011 Mobile Threats Report.

The report, conducted by the Juniper Networks Mobile Threat Center, the only threat center in the world devoted exclusively to mobile security research, is one of the largest first-hand quantitative research studies of its kind.

The research said that there is more malware than ever before. 2011 saw a record number of mobile malware attacks particularly to the Google Android platform. It says that mobile malware has gotten smarter. Cybercriminals continue to hone their craft by finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and human behavior for profit across all mobile platforms and devices.

It further says that the barrier to entry is low. Data shows an evolution from sophisticated, complex and deep technical attacks to schemes that are lightweight, social and able to deliver fast profits. As mobile users download more applications than ever before, applications themselves are becoming the “killer app” for hackers and the most popular way to compromise devices.

The other key findings of research are that from 2010 to 2011, the Juniper Networks Mobile Threat Center identified a 155 percent increase in mobile malware across all mobile device platforms.  From 2010 to 2011.

In the last seven months of 2011 alone, malware targeting the Android platform jumped 3,325 percent. In 2011, spyware and SMS Trojans comprised the vast majority of malware targeting mobile devices, at 63 percent and 36 percent respectively.Research into Apple iOS security remains limited given the closed nature of its platform; but in 2011, security researchers were successful in getting an unapproved application onto the Apple App Store. A new attack method dubbed “Fake Installers” was the fastest growing type of malware found in 2011.

Fake Installers trick victims into unknowingly paying for pirated versions of popular applications that are normally free. In addition to the rising threat of malware, consumers and enterprises remain susceptible to a very low-tech risk: lost or stolen mobile devices. In the last year alone, nearly one in five users of Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite – Juniper’s comprehensive mobile device security and management solution –  required a locate command to identify the whereabouts of a mobile device.

“The rapid growth in mobile malware combined with ongoing concerns about lost and stolen devices illustrate just how important of an issue mobile security is – and that it is an issue that affects everyone, not just corporations. At Juniper, we believe building trust in mobility is just as important as building great networks and powerful applications”,  said Dan Hoffman, chief mobile security evangelist, Juniper Networks.

“It is vital that consumers and businesses take the necessary security precautions when using mobile devices. Securing mobile devices requires a combination of safeguarding connections from interception, securing data in transit from prying eyes or theft, protecting against fast-propagating malware, possessing the tools to manage devices and apps, and securing the data, usernames and passwords on them in the event that they are lost or stolen” said Sanjay Beri, vice president and general manager, Junos Pulse Business Unit, Juniper Networks.