Android is open source platform for mobile. Just nature of being open source makes many doubts in minds, like anyone can do anything with Android, I am not secure enough with android. And the list goes on. Internet giant Google had develop Android with many other and keep it open source to reach to maximum. Risk measure is more compare to
iPhone. But Google consider end user to avoid the risk factor, and yes you can avoid it to maximum. Lets just go through what end user can do to secure his/her phone with the given guidelines by Android owner Google
Android provide some user security features in which user does not involve directly
For android 3.0 or later provide you to encrypt your all data and decrypt with AES128 with CBC and ESSIV:SHA256. Encryption key is protected by AES128 using a key derive from your password. You can set your complexity rule using device administrator and enforce operating system. Filesystem encryption requires the use of a user password, pattern-based screen lock is not supported.
Password protection and
device administrator are other tool to avoid leak in your secure information from your Android Phone
Credential Storage and Virtual Private Network
By default, Android includes a set of predefined Certificate Authorities (CAs) that are trusted for operations such as establishing SSL connections within the browser. In Android 4.0 and later, users can disable preinstalled CAs within the system settings. Users can also add trusted CAs or certificates to the system by importing them from USB storage. Android 4.1 and later adds the ability for OEMs to add hardware-backed KeyChain storage which binds private keys to the device on which they are stored
Android provides a built-in VPN client with support for PPTP, L2TP, and IPsec VPNs.
Android provide some user security features in which does involve directly
Trojen horse and virus are like Guest without invitation but they will enter into your home when you open the door
Android most prominent feature is permission model. For safety of your phone, you need to understand it well
When you install a new application in your phone either its from authorize network( Google Play Store) or any other, it prompt you to read what these application require to access from your phone. and let you allow this or not. This is called permissions, If require Contact read permission and you allow it, then it can read your contact. So be careful and observe Is particular application required related permission to its nature.
How it differ from other OS system say iPhone .
iPhone use a different approach to user notification, requesting permission at the start of each session or while applications are in use. The vision of Android is to have users switching seamlessly between applications at will. Providing confirmations each time would slow down the user and prevent Android from delivering a great user experience. Having the user review permissions at install time gives the user the option to not install the application if they feel uncomfortable.
Other Need to look for end user
A cost sensitive API is any function that might generate a cost for the user or the network. The Android platform has placed cost sensitive APIs in the list of protected APIs controlled by the OS. The user will have to grant explicit permission to third-party applications requesting use of cost sensitive APIs.
And most importantly Android has keep sim card out of reach to third party application and os will handle all kind of communication with SIM card
