At the Kaspersky Lab Security Analyst Summit, Android Security Team malware analyst Elena Kovakina explained Google’s strategy for countering ransomware on Android.

Google said half of Android devices are unpatched and that percentage of potentially harmful apps on phones installed from all sources rose in 2016.

Last year was a landmark time for Android security. Google dealt with a major vulnerability in Stagefright, launched a monthly patch release and vulnerability rewards program, and continued to chip away at the number of malicious applications that find their way onto devices. Given all of that progress, however, Google still struggles with the economics...