Symantec CEO Says Apple, Google Apps Are Malware Targets

Applications available from Apple Inc.'s App Store and Google Inc.'s Android Market are vulnerable to attacks by hackers who want information housed on handsets and tablet computers, Salem said in an interview yesterday at Bloomberg's San Francisco office. Apple's store boasts more than 350,000 applications, during Android Market has more than 200,000.

Symantec, the largest maker of security software, may spend as much as $860 million more on acquisitions this year to help it expand in mobile, he said. The company as well seeks targets in cloud services, or the delivery of computing over the Internet, and virtualization, software that helps servers run more efficiently, Salem said, reiterating remarks he made May 26.

The company is shifting its focus as demand surges for smartphones, tablets and cloud computing, during businesses and consumers curtail personal computer purchases.

For Apple users, the threats don't end with mobile devices. Mac laptops and desktops will increasingly be the target of malware as they gain popularity, Salem said. Symantec's software has long secured PCs running Microsoft's Windows software.

Tom Neumayr, a spokesman for Apple, had no immediate comment. Gina Weakley, a spokeswoman for Google, didn't on the spur of the moment respond to a request for comment. Apple vets applications earlier they're sold through its store.

The past month

Apple has been trying to combat malicious software targeting Mac users in the past month. The malware, posing as an antivirus program called "MacDefender," tries to trick people in to thinking they have a virus. The scam encourages users to download fake security software.

"Its ultimate goal is to get the user's credit card information which may be used for fraudulent purposes," Apple said in a May 24 message to users about how to avoid and remove the software from their machines.

The market for cloud computing

In the market for cloud computing, Symantec is building programs to help companies' information innovation departments safeguard applications from Salesforce.com Inc. and other Web-delivered software, including SuccessFactors Inc. and possibly Workday Inc., according to Salem.

Symantec, in a May 11 report, forecast higher revenue than analysts predicted, buoyed by demand for data-backup software and the effect of a weaker dollar on overseas sales.