A virus which promised to improve smartphones battery life has topped a list of Android malware threats in the UK, put together by Bitdefender.

Android.Trojan.FakeDoc posed as a utility app – then, when downloaded, it intercepted Gmail messages and broadcast them to an attacker-controlled server, along with geo-location data and carrier name.

The malwares ubiquity – during a peak in April and May, it made up 76 per cent of all Android malware detected – points not just to the lack of awareness about the risks of malware apps among smartphone users, but also how dissatisfied they are with the longevity of their batteries.

“The mobile app industry is facing a period of rapid evolution, towards radically more aggressive and commercially-oriented attacks,” said Alexandru Balan, chief security researcher at Bitdefender. “Smartphones, our 24 hour connection to the internet, will become the first target for those looking to steal our banking credentials, credit card numbers and other personal information.”