International Science and Technology Journal

Android, an open-source and Linux-based mobile operating system, is the most widely used mobile operating system in the world according to recent reports. Due to its popularity and open-source structure, Android has become a target for malicious attacks and attackers. According to Cisco's 2014 security report, 99% of mobile malware targets the Android operating system. Android applications are usually obtained from the official app market, Play Store, which publishes applications uploaded by various developers without subjecting them to security scanning. In addition, when a user attempts to install an application, Android presents the permissions requested by the application during installation and leaves all responsibility to the user afterward. Studies have shown that a large majority of Android users are unaware of these permissions or the effects they have. Therefore, there is a need for a security scan to determine whether applications contain malicious content and to inform users. Various approaches and methods are available in the literature to meet this need. In this study, various Android malware detection/protection systems were examined under four headings: static, dynamic, signature-based analysis approaches, and protection with encrypted data communication. The methods used, including manifest analysis, API call tracking, signature databases, secure data exchange, and machine learning features, were presented comparatively. Key Words: Android, malware detection, smartphone, mobile security, mobile application security