Detecting Malware by Analyzing App Permissions on Android Platform: A Systematic Literature Review

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity
• Software Engineering

Background:

• Android's widespread adoption makes it a prime target for malware.
• Malware poses significant financial and privacy risks to users.
• The rapid evolution of malware necessitates advanced detection techniques.

Approach:

• This work presents a systematic literature review (SLR) focusing on permission analysis for Android malware detection.
• Identified studies were retrieved and selected for detailed analysis.
• The review examines current challenges and various analytical approaches in the field.

Key Points:

• Malware exploits Android's permission system to gain unauthorized access to device resources.
• Analyzing requested permissions is crucial for identifying malicious applications.
• There are 235 distinct permissions an Android app can request.

Conclusions:

• Permission analysis is a vital strategy for effective Android malware detection.
• Further research is needed to address the challenges in accurately identifying permission exploitation by malware.
• The systematic review provides insights into existing methodologies and future research directions.