Machine Learning Approaches for Detecting Malware Threats on Mobile Devices

Thursday 20 November 2025

The rise of malware threats in mobile devices has become a pressing concern for cybersecurity experts and users alike. With the increasing adoption of smartphones, tablets, and other portable computing devices, the potential attack surface has expanded exponentially, making it essential to develop effective detection methods.

Researchers have long relied on machine learning techniques to identify malicious behavior and classify Android applications as benign or malicious. However, these approaches often require a significant amount of labeled data, which can be difficult to obtain in practice. Moreover, many existing methods focus solely on the characteristics of individual apps, neglecting the complex interactions between them.

In this study, the authors explore the use of machine learning for detecting malicious threats in mobile phones, with a specific focus on Android devices. They present a comprehensive comparative analysis of current research on malware detection using various machine learning techniques and examine their performance. The results show that some methods outperform others in terms of accuracy, but none achieve perfect detection rates.

One notable aspect of this study is the authors’ use of real-world datasets to evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches. By leveraging actual Android applications, they demonstrate the importance of considering context-specific factors, such as user behavior and environmental conditions. This approach allows researchers to better understand how malware adapts to its surroundings and develop more effective countermeasures.

Another key finding is the limitations imposed by traditional machine learning methods on their own. While these approaches can identify patterns in malicious code, they often struggle with novel or polymorphic attacks that evade detection. To address this issue, the authors propose a hybrid approach combining static analysis of app behavior with dynamic analysis of system interactions. This integrated framework enables more comprehensive threat detection and mitigation.

The study also highlights the challenges posed by false positives and false negatives in malware detection. Inaccurate classification can lead to unnecessary restrictions on legitimate apps or, worse, allow malicious code to slip through undetected. To mitigate these issues, researchers must develop more sophisticated methods for validating app behavior and improving accuracy.

In addition to its technical insights, this study underscores the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and government in addressing the complex issue of mobile malware. By sharing knowledge and resources, experts can accelerate the development of effective countermeasures and stay ahead of emerging threats.

Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by machine learning for detecting malicious threats in mobile devices. By exploring innovative approaches to threat detection and mitigation, researchers can help ensure the security and integrity of our increasingly connected world.

Cite this article: “Machine Learning Approaches for Detecting Malware Threats on Mobile Devices”, The Science Archive, 2025.

Machine Learning, Malware Detection, Mobile Devices, Android, Cybersecurity, Threat Analysis, Data Sets, False Positives, False Negatives, Hybrid Approach

Reference: Parick Ozoh, John K Omoniyi, Bukola Ibitoye, “An In-Depth Analysis of Cyber Attacks in Secured Platforms” (2025).

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