Aycock, JohnJarabek, Christopher2017-12-182017-12-182012http://hdl.handle.net/1880/105745Bibliography: p. 120-132Malware is a persistent and growing problem that threatens the privacy and property of computer users. In recent years, this threat has spread to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. At the same time, the main method for combating malware, anti-virus software, has grown in size and complexity to the point where the resource demands imposed by these security systems have become increasingly notice­able. In an effort to create a more transparent security system, it is possible to move the scanning of malware from the host computer to a scanning service in the cloud. This relocation could offer the security of conventional host-based scanning, without the resource demands involved with running a fully host-based anti-virus system. This thesis shows that under the right circumstances, malware scanning services pro­vided remotely are capable of replacing host-based anti-malware systems on desktop computers, although such a cloud-based security system is better suited to protecting smartphone users from malicious applications. To that end, a system was developed that provides anti-malware security for desktop computers by making use of pre-existing web-based file scanning services for malware detection. This system was evaluated and found to have variable performance ranging from acceptable to very poor. The desktop scanning system was then augmented and adapted to serve as a mechanism for identify­ing malicious applications on Android smartphones. The evaluation of this latter system showed favorable results, and is effective as a mechanism for combating the growing mobile malware threat.viii, 137 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.master thesis10.11575/PRISM/4744