Free Antivirus Download For Android Phones
Read this article in Introduction Android's increasing popularity has led to increased security threats, ranging from common malware to advanced Phishing and ID theft techniques. In order to help Android users to deal with these issues, many security software companies have launched their own security apps, but paying nearly 30 bucks a year for a complete mobile security app doesn't sound like a good deal, especially when there's a wide choice of free security apps that will cover all your needs including a group of complete security suites with Anti-Theft capabilities. These are the aspects we consider when choosing and evaluating a security app.
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• Anti-malware engine: The app’s ability to detect, clean and delete malicious apps and scripts. As a parallel test for the real-time protection capabilities, the EICAR Antivirus Test was used. • Extra Protection: Some security apps may include a set of built-in extra protection against malicious websites (Secure Web Browsing), against spam or massive commercial SMSes (Spam filter) and against Potentially Unwanted Apps or PUAs (Application Protection). If one or more of these extra protection options are provided, they are evaluated individually to see how good they do their job. • Privacy Advisor: The privacy advisor function must have the ability of listing all the installed applications and classify their risk based on the permissions they require to run, as some of these may be considered as a privacy and/or security breach.
• USSD Exploit Protection: USSD codes are special 'dialled' commands that can be used to access a variety of phone functions. Some malicious sites use this USSD exploit to take advantage of certain devices' vulnerabilities through malicious links and QR codes.
If this protection is included, we evaluate the app's ability to block this kind of attacks effectively. • Extra tools: Many apps include a set of extra tools to keep you protected. Some of them may include Call & SMS filtering, App Blocking and Contacts Back-up & Restore among others. Their performance and usefulness help us to evaluate the app as a whole. • System resources: No matter how the good a security app may perform, it cannot be considered a great app if it turns out to be a RAM hog or an adware flagship.
After all, we do not want to kill apps just to keep our AV working or give away our expensive mobile data traffic to ads. Previously, battery consumption rates were part of this review. However, they had to be removed due to the fragmentation of the Android OS and the vast variety of devices with different capacities and processor speeds which provide too many variables to account for and could result in inappropriate or misleading info. Bitdefender Antivirus Free offers optimal protection against malware for your Android device.
The scanning engine is good but cloud based, which means you will need an internet connection to make it work effectively. It will scan new apps as soon as they are installed and will consume less resources than other apps. Once installed, it will work on its own without any additional configuration, making it and an ideal antimalware app for the less experienced users. Sadly, the lack of any advanced options might pose a problem for intermediate and advanced users who like to tweak settings and be in control all the time. AVG Anti-Virus Free has a decent malware detection engine that will detect and block most of the malware that tries to get into your phone or tablet (there are dedicated versions for both kind of devices). The not-so-good part is that it could flag some legit apps and functions (such as root) as Potentially Unwanted Apps, which is not good at all and can lead you to uninstall perfectly good apps. Its secure web surfing protection does a good job and provides a hassle-free browsing experience.
Sadly, the best tools are just 14-day trial versions. It also lacks protection against USSD attacks and the Anti-Theft capabilities are limited to online options. Web Light v.7 is not a complete security suite (it lacks Anti-theft and Privacy features) but it does not promote itself as such. It is not a mediocre anti-malware app either, in fact, its detection rates are very good and the RAM usage levels are below the average. The scan speeds are fast even with the 'Files on Archives' option enabled. To avoid further confussion, you must know there are 2 different versions available: v.7 (free, but will show ads in the notification bar) and v.9 (just a limited 14-day trial). If all you need is a basic and effective protection against malware and you can live without the Anti-theft and other extras, then Dr.
Web Antivirus Light v.7 is a good choice. TrendMicro Mobile Security & Antivirus has a sleek UI and a good anti-malware engine. It also includes a free privacy scanner for Facebook (it looks for unsecure settings on your account), 50 MB of cloud storage for data backup and that is where the free goodies end. Truth is TrendMicro is not an actual free security app because most of the key security functions (Secure Web Surfing, Device location, Anti-theft, Privacy Scanner, Call & SMS filtering) are available only in the paid version or available as a 30-day trial. In simple words, TrendMicro is worth installing only if basic protection against malware is what you are looking for.
TrustGo Antivirus & Mobile Security provides a good performance when it comes to malware detection. It also has a good Secure Web Surfing filter against malicious sites. Although it was our top-pick for this category some time ago, its latest changes introduced some permissions that required the camera to -supposedly- spot thieves and then mail it to you, but there was not such an option visible within the app and the picture never arrived to our mail.
Besides, the 'Hot Apps' section recommended a lot of paid and ad-supported apps that other apps considered malware. Although good, TrustGo's methods to keep the app free are not the best ones.
NQ Mobile Security & Antivirus has a fancy interface and it appears to be free. Unfortunately, at some point it will try to charge you for updating the virus definitions and will flag your phone as 'at risk' unless you have the premium (paid) features enabled. It has good detection rates and a cloud-based anti-malware engine as a support component for the real-time protection. It is a pity it losses its appeal and capacity to convince the user to keep it installed due to its deceitful strategy to generate income. Security Apps Not Recommended After Review. VirusFighter Antivirus Free: This app is promoted as 'free' but is just a glorified demo.
The interface and menus use a simple though effective interface, which is not bad; however, most of the functions are limited or reserved for the Pro (paid) version. The app itself is small, but the RAM usage levels vary a lot without an apparent reason. It also failed to detect a lot of well-known malicious files, but due to its pretty and usable interface hundreds of users seem to like it. Android Antivirus: Based on the name this app has, you would think it is the perfect companion for your device.
Truth is that it is not. While the interface is clean and makes the app look good, the detection rates are not; only the most common threats are detected. Some of the permissions the app needs (full network access, read phone status and identity, find accounts on the device) have no reason to be there either. Antivirus Free: It used to be an independent app but it has become a NQ Labs extension (you can read 'NQ Antivirus Free' in the main screen). The virus definitions updates are free only during the first month; if you have an active internet connection it will show annoying full-screen ads every now and then and after performing a scan task. Do not let its 4.4 rating (!?) fool you, as it has poor detection rates and needs quite a lot of permissions for a merely basic anti-malware app.
Definitely an app you should avoid. Questions About Android Security First things first. Can my Android device get infected with a 'virus'?
The short answer is NO. Because, you see, Android apps work under a “sandboxed” security scheme. This is a technique that places “virtual walls” between apps and the rest of the device’s software, so that the only way an app can share resources and data is by declaring permissions which restrict what actions an app can perform on your Android device, what files it can reach, and whether it can get access to your personal data or not. Sandboxing limits the virus' capacity to infect your device, as it cannot access data from the OS and other parts of the device without a specific user-granted permission, thus annulling its capacity to replicate itself and spread from one device to another without the user knowing about it (that is what viruses do). However, viruses are only a fraction of the vast variety of malware types out there such as trojans, spyware, exploits and fake apps, many of which do constitute a big threat to your data, your privacy and your Android device as well. If Android cannot be infected with a “virus”, why do I need to install an antivirus app?
Although Android cannot get infected with a virus because of the aforementioned reasons, it doesn’t mean it is an impregnable OS, but quite the opposite: its popularity has turned it into the crook's favorite target around the globe. Although many security software companies have adhered to the “antivirus” term, they know they actually provide anti-malware apps bundled with privacy and anti-theft protection. We still wonder what was the reason that made these companies to insist on the “antivirus” term, because it may become rather misleading when it comes to Android, which works in a complete different way to Windows.
In any case, some companies have preferred to label their respective apps as “mobile security” or 'anti-malware' apps instead, which sound like more proper terms. Keep in mind, however, that security apps are only a part of the solution, as the main source of protection should come from your common sense. To what extent is Android exposed to malware and other malicious threats?
Android device shipments have exceeded 1 billion and there are over 1 million apps and games available in the Play Store, which generated billions of downloads. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that there is plenty of potential malware and other security threats designed to take advantage of careless Android users and it is there where security apps find their meaning. Beware that a security report from Kaspersky Labs made in 2014 has established that the number of malicious apps for Android has hit the 10 million mark.
Does Android have anti-theft functions? Google has launched its own anti-theft component named 'Android Device Manager'.
It has the same functions any anti-theft tool has (locate, remote wipe, device lock) plus a bonus: you can change your device's unlock password remotely. If you have a device running Android 2.3 or later, chances are you have it already installed since it came bundled with a PlayStore update last year; if not, you can install it from the PlayStore like any other app. This security add-on is a very capable one because it integrates itself flawlessly with Android and it works with your existing PlayStore account.
We know Android Device Manager might not be everybody's cup of tea, and you can still opt for the Anti-theft module that most of the reviewed apps include, but using the former is a good way to save some RAM and storage space. Another additional benefit is that there is no need to register to a new service, therefore you will avoid providing your personal data to other companies, as if giving it to Google was not bad enough already.;-) Isn't downloading apps from the Play Store safe? Downloading apps from the Play Store is the best bet, although is not a guarantee that the apps are 100% safe, as Google removes a lot of scam apps from the PlayStore periodically. Therefore, a security app won't be much help, no matter how good it is, if you are the kind of person who installs anything just for the sake of it. We know we talked about permissions already, but we have to stress this point as much as we can: permissions are key to determine how secure an app is, both to your privacy and your data. There are several ways to get apps 'for free' from alternative app markets and other unofficial sources.
However, installing them exposes you to many privacy and security risks. The reason is simple: while modified APKs keep the functionality from the original app, they mess with the permissions on a fairly extensive basis; many permissions are removed and many others are added. Sadly, chances are you do not know what those rogue permissions do until your are victim of ID theft and other felonies or misdemeanours against your privacy.
Nevertheless, if you happen to be a very careful user with a good knowledge about Android (Linux), and you really know exactly what you are doing at all times, chances are you don't even have to install a security app at all. Related Products and Links You might want to check out these articles too: • • • • Editor This software review is maintained by volunteer editor ryan777hubb. Registered members can contact the editor by clicking here.. Please rate this article. I was so glad when I found Dr. Web Antivirus Light.
I didn't want remote wipe/lock or any of that - just the anti-malware. I have been using this for over a year now and, along with common sense, haven't had any issues.
Additionally, on a 3.5 year old phone with 2GB Ram, there was no slowdown, and per GSam Battery monitor, it uses less than almost any other app, barely 0.1% of battery life. If you just want a solid real-time and on-demand scanner, it's really one of the only options but thankfully it's a good one too • or to post comments. CM Security sucks?
I installed CM Security on my Android device. I never had any security probs but installed it just in case. Now I am harassed with regular adds. Really annoying. AND IT IS COMING FROM CM SECURITY ITSELF!!
What is this for crazy program. Suggesting to protect you and then harassing you themselves! Like the police starting to steal from you! Perhaps the program needs some reevaluating and the readers of your great site warned for the double standards of this company!!
• or to post comments. Hi, CM security was updated yesterday to v1.3.1. The app itself is still good, but the RAM usage levels have skyrocketed as some users below reported weeks ago. We were hoping a new version to confirm if that increase was due to a bug or something similar, sadly that's not the case. In normal mode (one single process on the background) the RAM levels were within the 38 to 45 MB range. Add about 10 MB to that while updating (2nd process) but if you enable the Anti-theft the picture gets worse. 70 to 90 MB of RAM!
I never used an app with such a high demand for RAM. Not good at all. I'm looking for alternatives for the next review, as CM Security cannot be considered a top app nor user-friendly with those high RAM requirements.
I just opened a new thread in our forum regarding this issue. Feel free to post your comments and thoughts about this. Your feedback would help a lot.
• or to post comments. I had that issue with TrustGO months ago. The weird thing is no other app detected the same, even after a scan with VirusTotal. However, VirusTotal did detect a pair of ad-ware based apps that TrustGo had no idea of:P.
I decided to test CM and it was fine until the last update. The memory footprint has skyrocketed! I'm talking about 80 MB of RAM. I disabled the anti theft and it went down to 45 MB, but I found it too high anyway, so I uninstalled it.
Companies think all of us have phones with 2GB or more of RAM. I'm not buying that scheme. I can live far better by installing other free apps that are not so demanding. • or to post comments. The only time CM Security opens a second process is while downloading definitions updates.
The rest of the time it only uses a single process, even with the 'safe browsing' option enabled. Have you installed another anti-malware app besides CMS?
That could create some conflicts and cause your RAM usage to increase a lot. You don't need a high end phone to run CMS. I've seen it running on 'old' phones with Android 4.0.4 and 512MB of RAM.
However, if you are using JellyBean 4.1 or up, things can be totally different as the OS consumes a lot of RAM itself, leaving too little for third party apps. JellyBean needs a device with 768MB of RAM at least to run decently, according to Google. Sadly, many manufacturers make devices with 512MB of RAM with JellyBean installed on them. That's their a way to create 'low-budget' phones which, in the end, won't perform as good as you would like to. **MAY 9th UPDATE** CM's latest version has confirmed our previous concern.
Its RAM usage has increased more than twice, and enabling the bundled Anti-theft only makes it worse. Will the next update fix that? We sincerely hope so. • or to post comments.
Spy probably meant the newest version of 360MS now includes an anti-theft component. I read the intro and the explanation about the anti-theft seems logical. Nonetheless, removing 360MS from the top was a surprise to me, as it worked like charm for me. I read the comments below as well as some posts in the forum that attack the app with no reason, basing their comments on problems some users had with old DESKTOP versions of 360.
I read the permissions and they look legit for me, especially when you consider the things 360MS can do. The size of this app has increased, that's true, but I keep using it and has protected me from various kinds of malware since I installed it based on your initial suggestion. I know creating lists like this demand time and effort, and I thank you for that, but next time try following your knowledge and expertise instead of listening to trolls or people who like to bash products they don't like.
CMSecurity looks good and I will give it a try, eventually, maybe when I get tired of my current security app. Anyway, you deserve cheers for a job well done. • or to post comments. Hi, As you can see, the review has finally been updated. It took more time than expected, but Android apps are in constant change. A pair of new apps has been added, other apps were updated with relevant info about their latest changes, while others are gone for good. Additionally, I would like to thank the readers for their useful comments, which provided important info and helped me a lot when writing the review.
I hope this updated review proves useful and you enjoy reading it. • or to post comments.
Many thanks for the updated review! Something I always look forward to reading.
I downloaded and running CM Security which I find is a great product. I use it in combination with Mr. Number for blocking Calls and texts and AppLock to protect uninstallation, Settings and PlayStore and seems to all be working seamlessly.
CM Security will be having an anti-theft which simply integrates with your Android Device Manager. It's currently in beta. On a similar note. Comodo Mobile security since version 3.4.5 released 02nd March does act as Device Administrator and there were a large number of fixes to the Optimizer (Cache cleaner/task killer). CMS's built-in App Locker under the Private Space now allows you to lock CMS itself along with settings/playstore and any other app you choose.
I'd use it myself but my phone has a very low resolution and therefore not fully compatible but I downloaded via the forum download and can confirm all the features work though it's not scanning my full SD Card on my device only scanning SDcard0 and not the External Card. I did try Malwarebytes and may come back to it when it develops further. Thanks again for reviewing these products! E • or to post comments. Installed 360 Mobile Security as it was recommended here but noticed it needed permissions that made me feel uncomfortable eg reading my emails and sending emails/texts but installed anyway as it had been recommended by Gizmo. Came back and read all these comments and decided to uninstall it whereupon my browser (Chrome) would only return results from?baidoo in Chinese! Had to do a factory reset to fix it.
Downloaded TrustGo but this seemed to have similar permissions? Which security app can run without these sorts of permissions? • or to post comments.
It seems like you can’t go a week without one security firm or another producing a statistic illustrating just how much malware there is in the wilds of the internet. More often than not, these reports come with a few reminders that the company’s own security suite can protect you from these nasty bits of code, which is true some of the time. However, Android is by its very nature more secure than a desktop computer, so maybe you don’t need these security apps. You’ve probably already got what you need. The scare tactics The most recent Android malware report comes from Check Point, which says nearly one billion android devices have critical.
Shocking and upsetting, right? It’s a legitimate security issue, but the reporting is, as usual, overly breathless and dramatic. The PR certainly makes it seem like your phone is ripe for infection, but the real situation is much more nuanced.
The latest QuadRooter scare is actually a set of four issues known as,,, and. They are rooted in the Linux system code provided by Qualcomm to partners like Google. The way this is presented by many mainstream reports, you’d think Google is in panic mode and rushing out patches. In fact, the Android security model is much more mature now.
Several of these vulnerabilities are already patched in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and the others will be soon. As OEMs build new updates, they’ll include updated patch levels, which you can see in your software info. We’ve all been programmed by PC malware, which can sneak onto your system simply because you visited the wrong website with a vulnerable browser. These “drive-by downloads” aren’t feasible on Android without a pre-existing infection. On Android, you have to physically tap on a notification to install an APK downloaded from a source outside the Play Store.
Even then there are security settings that need to be manually bypassed. What if a QuadRooter app were to make it into the Play Store before then? Google’s platform has the ability to scan for known malware when it’s uploaded. There’s also a human review process in place for anything that looks even a little bit questionable.
Google just started doing this a few months ago, mainly as a way to keep copycat apps and obvious scams from slipping through the cracks. The solution pushed by AV companies is to install a security suite that manually scans every app, monitors your Web traffic, and so on. These apps tend to be a drain on resources and are generally annoying with plentiful notifications and pop ups.
You probably don’t need to install Lookout, AVG, Symantec/Norton, or any of the other AV apps on Android. Instead, there are some completely reasonable steps you can take that won’t drag down your phone. For example, your phone already has antivirus protection built-in. What you should do to stay safe Your first line of defense is to simply not mess around with Android’s default security settings.
To get Google certification, each and every phone and tablet comes with “Unknown sources” disabled in the security settings. If you want to sideload an APK downloaded from outside Google Play, all you need to do is check that box. Leaving this disabled keeps you safe from virtually all Android malware, because there’s almost none of it in the Play Store.
There are legitimate reasons to allow unknown sources, though. For example, Amazon’s Appstore client sideloads the apps and games you buy, and many reputable sites re-host official app updates that are rolling out in stages so you don’t have to wait your turn. If you do take advantage of this feature, the first time you do so a box will pop up asking you to allow to scan for malicious activity. This is known as Verify Apps and it’s part of Google Play Services on virtually all official Android phones. Google has confirmed that QuadRooter is detected and disabled by Verify Apps. So, even if your device is lagging on security updates, you shouldn’t have to worry. Users have been rooting their Android phones ever since the first handsets hit the market, but it’s less common these days.
The platform offers many of the features people used to root in order to acquire. Using rooted Android is basically like running a computer in administrator mode. While it’s possible to run a rooted phone safely, it’s definitely a security risk. Some exploits and malware needs root access to function, and otherwise it’s harmless even if you do somehow install it. If you don’t have a good reason to root your phone or tablet, just don’t open yourself up to that possibility. Android apps also exist that might not be “malware” per se, but you might not want them on your phone because they snoop through your data.
Most people don’t read the permissions for the apps they install, but the Play Store does make all that information available. As of Android 6.0, apps need to request access to sensitive permissions like access to your contacts, local storage, microphone, camera, and location tracking. If an app has reason to access these modules (like a social networking app), you’re probably fine. If, however, a flashlight app is asking for your contact list, you might want to think again. The system settings include the tools to manually revoke permissions for any app. It really just takes a tiny bit of common sense to avoid Android malware. If you do nothing else, keeping your downloads limited to the Play Store and other 100% trustworthy sources will keep you safe from almost all threats out there.
The antivirus apps are at best redundant and at worst a detriment to your system performance. My guess would be that most users would get annoyed if they had to “allow” each permission(s) the program needed every time they needed to use the program. Most users do not think of security (i.e.
Passwords written on sticky notes on monitors and / or desk drawers, username and password the same, non-complex passwords, no encryption when using POP3 or IMAP e-mail protocols, not keeping up with security updates for the OS they use, text messaging passwords, no password set for their user account on their computer, etc.). For a map program accessing the GPS, or a recording program accessing the microphone, most users won’t mind. However *every* single program asking for manual allowing of permission(s)? That would annoy the users. Yes, manually allowing permissions would help security, but I don’t think that will happen soon. User-friendliness is the enemy of security! You said: “Why not just do that when an app asks for any permission the first time?” I was not sure if you meant *only* the first time.
I thought you possibly meant that the user can allow permissions when they open an application each time (which would be the more secure way of doing things, even though it would be annoying). You said: “And yet on Android and iPhone specific permissions are requested and granted at the time they are needed, like GPS.” The only time I have seen Android ask for permissions everytime was for GPS. I have never seen Android ask for permissions for anything else other than GPS for anything else I run. I assume that your Android phone asks you to allow permissions everytime you run a program that needs specific permissions, since you said “And yet on Android and iPhone specific permissions are requested and granted at the time they are needed”.
You may be running a different version of Android than I am, or I am not using applications that make use of the “ask everytime for permissions” OS functionality, since I have *never* had Android ask for permissions everytime I start an application that needed specific permissions (except for a GPS-enabled one). You said: “Read properly.” With all due respect, please stay respectful. There is no need to be rude in a public comments section on a public website. I made a mistake on what you meant, but there is no reason to be disrespectful. You’re installing apps on a device that is built around you making personal calls, texts, and GPS driving directions. Some of the apps directly involve themselves in enhancing, modifying or monitoring those features, so of course their permission requests are going to look scary if you don’t realize that. No one has ever been truly anonymous on the internet; if you’re afraid of sharing the deep dark personal secrets about yourself with faceless corporations than you should probably stick to flip phones.
In order to monitor a lot of the settings that these malware apps go after, the security apps need some of the same permissions. Some of them upload unknown apps to their servers so they can review them as well. You can’t really be secure without giving the security companies enough information to do what they need to. The state of malware in Android is very much in flux, and is very young compared to desktop threats.
The state of security is rapidly evolving as do the threats. Since a lot of the malware out there is just repackaged legit apps, it can be difficult to stay protected, since a handful of malware has actually shown up in the official Market.
Reasons for scepticism of your statement: 1. You know you could install any app you want then uncheck or check that box right? Also, checking the box “Allow Installation of Apps from Unknown Sources” only protects you by restricting your options to signed binaries or store downloads, you can still download Amazon, Aptoid or one of MANY other app stores (including X rated stores) and get your programs from there, completely sidestepping Bouncer and possibly any other AV in the process. Also, I never said Bouncer was perfect. I said it’s pretty good. I have never run across malicious software in 7 years of owning Android handsets.
Ransomware would only be possible on a handset which had granted Device Administrator privileges, as the Ransomware would be pretty ineffective without the ability to stop you from just hitting the ‘home’ key to leave the app. This is handled completely separately from privileges and requires you to actually go to the settings menu and add from a list. This makes Ransomware NOT a virus, because a virus infects your system itself, and does not require bad judgement or social engineering to insert itself.
That would be a Trojan. Bouncer is an AV, which makes Ransomware squarely outside of it’s sights. Why is it whenever people get choices they will always moan about the potential for idiots to misuse it? Google “things you can do with Cydia” and realize just how much cool stuff Apple’s ecosystem doesn’t have due to the lowest common denominator pandering they do. All because some silly people don’t realize that some programs are to be trusted and most are not. Overall I’m pretty much in agreement with you.
I just wanted to make a couple of points. The ransomware (I agree they’re not viruses) I referred to stops access to settings and I imagine would take effect upon installation so I doubt it would be possible to uncheck “Allow Installation of Apps from Unknown Sources” after installing. The customer who I was trying to help had no advanced Android skills. Their tablet was certainly not rooted and if it were possible to grant Device Administrator privileges without rooting through a separate explicit setting it would probably be too complicated for them and put them off using the app. I can’t of course rule-out that it was obtained from an alternative app store although it seems unlikely. One could argue that poorly.
Is your body defective for being vulnerable to disease? Is your car defective for being vulnerable to flying rocks cracking its windshield? My PC is vulnerable to viruses too but it sure as heck isn’t “defective”. And like with a PC, if you’re not a complete idiot you can easily avoid malware and viruses on your droid. Only thing you need to ask yourself is if you feel safe and smart enough to handle decision making on your own, or if you want a company to hold your hand for you and offer only their Apple approved selection of apps. Your comparisons fall into the straw man category and therefore do not support your argument. You also just compared a PC to a phone.
This is, in fact, exactly the problem. I will tolerate AV software on my computer because I desire the flexibility to run whatever software I want, but on a phone, being a consumer electronic device (which a desktop computer is not), the use cases are quite different.
The vast majority of people just want it to work and reboots and crashes and viruses should be extreme rarities. I bet you would consider a stereo that was vulnerable to viruses defective (granted you can’t install software). Yes, one has to put up with Apple’s approval process, but on the other hand, you get more of a phone and less of a computer. It sounds like the latter is more of what you prefer and then Android is definitely more your thing. “because I desire the flexibility to run whatever software I want” I do too, on my phone. And it’s not a straw man comparison if the comparison is true – PCs are consumer electronic devices.
Short explanation = (wikipedia says so) If anything is a straw man comparison, it’s the stereo example. You yourself admit stereos don’t have software, so for a stereo to be vulnerable to viruses is an impossibility. For the sake of argument let’s say stereo’s did use software and could be used to connect to the internet for downloading 3rd party programs, I would expect it and ANY device with such functionality to be vulnerable to malware and viruses, so no they wouldn’t be ‘defective’. There’s nothing in the hardware of an iPhone or Mac protecting it from viruses. Viruses and Malware for Macs do exist. Only thing protecting iPhone is Apples own vigilant hand denying apps from entering their store as they see fit. There’s nothing defective about iPhones, nothing defective about Droids, and nothing defective about stereos in regards to viruses.
Which is why you’re not in Apple’s target demographic of those who want a phone, not a computer. This is OK if you actually want a handheld computer that also makes phone calls.
Most people want a phone that also does other things, but not a handheld computer. Resisting the urge to try to correct the other misunderstandings in this exchange and instead focus on the core point, you’re looking at this whole thing from a technical perspective and not from that of the 99% of the population that doesn’t read ExtremeTech.
It’s easy for people like us to make statements like “don’t grant access to apps you’re unsure about” because we understand the technology. Think about all those you know who don’t understand it.
From their perspective, a phone with a virus is defective and the important thing for us to understand is that they are correct. Too much software is written assuming a technical user, because that’s the way we think, when the real users are seldom technical at all. The users should not need to “understand” the technology. They want a phone, not a computer. A phone that does other things.
Would that be things that you typically would do on your computer? A tablet that does other things.
Would that be things that you would typically do on your computer? The whole ‘Consumer Electronic Device’ is bollocks.
An easy way of trying to justify the fact that you can’t do as much as you can with a phone as you can with a computer once they lock down the devices to prevent piracy. Make no mistake, your iPhone and Android Phone are both ARM IS PC’s with a SIM based wireless NIC bolted on. I think youll find the vast majority of smartphones these days are closer to miniture computers than phones.
So hes not part of the problem at all. The major part of the problem with these things, is exactly the same as it was before. Dumb people doing dumb things with their toys. I dont run a virus scanner on my pc or my mobile. This is because i dont go clicking on everything that says ‘YOU HAVE A VIRUS CLICK THIS TO INSTALL CLEANER’ – If i find dodgy processes on my PC, i work out how to get rid of them. On the RARE occasion ive had something wrong, theres generally something about to clean it, that gets removed once its done its job.
Its not difficult to work out when you have something dodgy going down on your computer OR your mobile. Sadly, the majority of people on this planet dont have the brains to comprehend that. This test must have been done quite a bit in the past. When I go to market.android.com and search for ‘Antivirus’ and then sort only free by popularity, there are three apps higher on the list than the Antivirus Free that the report lists as being the most popular by far. Lookout Security & Antivirus is one of those listed as more popular with 10mil to 50mil installs.
It is also one of the most talked about security apps for Android that I’ve seen in the many blogs and sites I follow. I can’t help but wonder why it was excluded from the list. To be fair, Linux (esp. 5 years ago and before that) was but a blip in the desktop PC market. Mac OS recently got a virus (that masqueraded as a legit security app) called MAC defender. Tell me again how they’re secure – I’m POSITIVE that someone, somewhere would find a way to infect people’s Linux machines IF they owned a significant portion of the market. Android’s infection () – it’s Linux-based, isn’t it?
Huh, guess Linux can get infected. So basically, you don’t need it because no one gives a shit about your OS. You’re not worth it. I myself use Windows and also do not rely on any anti-whatever. Because it’s obvious when something is a virus. I don’t need a program to tell me that downloading something from “getyourvirusesandmalwarehere.com” is going to screw up my PC.
I don’t blindly download anything – I read about it first, make sure it’s legit, read the comments, google it, etc. Only a fool relies on a program to do their thinking, regardless of their OS. Cualeselme jorantivirus I think i might be able to define whats the difference in between them computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. All computer viruses are man-made and they can also replicate themselves by making a copy of themselves over and over again. And Spyware is software that covertly gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. I hope this might clear the lil bit of fog between these two and in my last comment i told you guys about Appriva antivirus which also is anti spyware one of its a anti spyware feature which is like the most is i m able to know how good is my privacy compared to others •.
This article is complete contradictory referencing zoner anti-virus. The permissions that are required are: Storage:Modify/delete contents Your Messages: Receive MMS, receive SMS Your Location: Fine (GPS) location SERVICES THAT COST YOU MONEY: DIRECTLY CALL PHONE NUMBERS, SEND SMS MESSAGES WTF!!!!!!!! Network Communication: Full internet access Phone Calls: Read phones status and ID, intercept outgoing calls Your personal information:Read contact data Why don’t I invite this app to come over and fuck my sister while were at it? Antivirus for Android on a device itself does not do any good. You need to installed cloud based app from Moobila called Appriva “Antivirus for Android”. This apps protects security and privacy using cloud based technology.
It also provide, safe surfing, spam defense WiFi Security, App scanner and Backup & Restore on the device or on your choice to box.com, Skydrive and dropbox.com. Download today and protect your phone and your privacy.
Below are few reviews: It is 4.6 out 5 rated app at the Play.Google.com Store. “You never have to update your local database of signatures and that the app consumes less better than conventional security apps” – redmondpie.com “A really great idea for new age antivirus” – kindredcone.com •. I have been looking for a way to scan my rooted phone directly from windows, no luck so far, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t be possible.
I had Kaspersky mobile for a short while, but ended up disabling most of its features, because of permissions warnings I didn’t have the right temperament. Virus apps also drains battery bad, and makes you”me:) feel like a paranoid idiot. I am only worried about trojans.
Viruses can easily be taken care of with good backup plan for rooted phones — mindctrl I wrote before reading your post:-D •. I have been looking for a way to scan my rooted phone directly from windows, no luck so far, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t be possible. I had Kaspersky mobile for a short while, but ended up disabling most of its features, because of permissions warnings I didn’t have the right temperament. Virus apps also drains battery bad, and makes you”me:) feel like a paranoid idiot. I am only worried about trojans. Viruses can easily be taken care of with good backup plan for rooted phones — mindctrl I wrote before reading your post:-D •. The Author of this article only researched typical anti spy apps that rely on a database of known definitions.
But the author did not try the new way to detect malicious apps. Get D-Vasive! If you get D-Vasive, you will be given an alert when another app tries to spy on you.
If your CAMERA, MIC, WIFI, or BLUETOOTH are turned on by another app, you will be given a notification. You can also lock each of these devices down so another app cannot possibly turn on your CAMERA, MIC, BLUETOOTH or WIFI! Its that simple! PROBLEM – SOLUTION – BE HAPPY.:) Try it for free today! Just Google: dvasive •. “Users have been rooting their Android phones ever since the first handsets hit the market, but it’s less common these days, as the platform offers many of the features people used to root in order to acquire” The problem with this is that without Rooting, most phones comes Bloat-loaded with apps that can’t be UN-loaded unless you have root access.
And the explanation that the user can go into settings and disable these Apps, usually, IS A LIE. When I got my new phone there was Facebook, NFL, NASCAR and a half dozen other apps that even though I NEVER used them or even initiated them– They were Active, Checking Online to their respective servers, Updating themselves and sending Phone Info. I could Check and Uncheck the stupid little boxes until I broke the screenfive minutes later, the little demons would wake up and go on about their business And the result was Daily Battery Death within HOURS. So, NoMy Phone is Rooted.
The Useless Apps have been fully DELETED. I don’t EVER touch the stupid little ads that tell me: “You Phone is INFECTED!!!”. And I don’t have a Phone AntiVirus.
For me, it isn’t Viruses that were a problemit was the Phone Company and their ‘Strategic Partner’ Apps. As far as antivirus being a waste on phone, this is not entirely true. Most users are not technicians. And a person thinking they can spot every suspicious app is arrogant.
The people writing malware are highly educated and experts in their field. They have already thought of how to defeat many of your habitual checking methods. As far as heuristics, its been around for more then a decade when there was no big data and cloud servers, so the need for a constant internet connection is a misconception. Heurists simply put look for code command fragments that mimic malware/virus behavior, as oppose to entire malware signatures.
Does AV companies use scar tactics, hell yes! There are good, reputable, FREE, anti virus solutions available. There are sufficient for most users, and the majority of phones wont even take a dent in their horse power.
Malware and viruses is 80% social engineering. So consider this; if I were bob malware writer I could write a simple GPE nav app which requests GPS internet, and location data. This would not raise any flags. I would then farm your location and movement habits and sell them without telling you. To further illustrate a person at my work ONLY installs from google play, ended up with 13 GIg data usage in a month and couldn’t go more then 3 hours on his battery. He suspected something was wrong but could not pin it down, until he got the bill.
He was lucky his Telco took care of him. The antivirus would all of this. Who cares if the user has to “give permission”, you are still dealing with average folk who are not engineers — the weakest link.
There’s no point being paranoid. Just get informed. I have CM Security on my phone, saw no mention of that. I have it because it blocks the exploits in android that are not yet patched. I rarely ever see it hogging resources, unlike my desktop favorite eset. I also do not see any ads or pop ups, just a notification xx app is safe to open. Perhaps my adblocker helps with this Keep in mind I am still using my workhorse S3.I also love my custom roms which include app permission gatekeeper functions.
Most of the offenders in regards to snooping are games! Okay, so day you have no idea about stuff like this but you had heard that having to many anti virus apps, I have 3 total all from Google play, what would you all recommend I do? Like down to details, lol, because I’m horrible at all this. I just got internet for the first time ever, due to my location, in February of 2015. I’ve of course used the internet plenty of times before, but never had my own device, wifi, ect.
So if someone that has way more experience than me could please tell me what they think is best, that would be much appreciated☺. Please and thank you, Dar. “Several of these vulnerabilities are already patched in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and the others will be soon. As OEMs build new updates, they’ll include updated patch levels, which you can see in your software info.” This I understand but again, as everyone knows, most of the Android OEMs couldn’t give a rat’s ass about pushing out updates. Samsung, for instance, is the worst of them all. If you’re lucky you’ll get maybe two or three updates in the time you own the device but if you’re not tough luck buddy.
You know, some of us do tend to hold on to our devices for more than a year. Some of us keep our devices for at the very least two years.
It may even get handed down to a family member when we get a new device. Meanwhile, that older device is ripe for exploit because the OEM doesn’t care about it anymore. When I think of updates I think of monthly updates, similar to how Microsoft does it. If there’s an exploit, patch it immediately. Sure, some Android apologists will say that you can “patch” the vulnerability by putting in mitigations but the underlining vulnerability still exists. Mitigations are just that, mitigations.
They don’t fix the vulnerability, they just put roadblocks in place to help stop exploits from occurring. And like any software, the mitigations can be bypassed and the vulnerability can be exploited. In other words, get the damn patch out and get it out yesterday! Do not pass go, do not collect $200, get the patch out now! You are playing with the security of people’s devices and the data they hold on them. I don’t know what they teach you or were you get your info from. Just cause Europe there people is rich, don’t mean all the people in the states are rich an on that note even have money like that, to be upgrading phone every 5 mins, the most of US is screwed,on both notes hardly any updates for our phone’s so my guess would be why a lot of people rely on root, and yea America has power real power that comes at a heavy price on its people.
When people get a little cash people forget but not rich, hardly. It’s also funny how AVG says having items on your clipboard and your call history are risks and alerts you. Maybe they realize people don’t really find anything with scanning and decided to alert you with these things to make you think it is actually USEFUL for ANYTHING. The most I had was AVG and Avast warning me when I download a suspicious file, offering to delete it or deleting it right away. Then there’s China-based CM Security which tells you your device is infected with Stagefright and BroadAnywhere. Yes, it’s probably right given how these are kernel vulnerabilities deep within Android, but it also claims to be able (and have) fixed these issues.
Without root permissions, how does it achieve such a feat? I find CM as suspicious as malware itself. Over priced, crap graphics, crap processor, less user control, perfect for rich idiots. Need any other reasons? Just like this article is trying to politely point out, if you actually pay attention to the alerts and are not some gluttonous idiot ready to believe something that’s too good to be true you are damn near impervious to malware on an android phone.
However if you are the kind of tech user who needs an Idiot device because anything beyond pretty icons and well defined paid resources makes you mash the screen yelling “homer smash” then yeah get an iPhone. But the majority of Android phones are old, outdated hardware running old outdated OS’s. The average price for an Android phone is $250, the average price of an iPhone is about $600 to $650.
Apple simply doesn’t go after the low end outdated market. Now, if you compared all of the phones with later generation processors, i.e.
64 Bit processors, then Apple does have the largest market share for a company. It’s kind of difficult to compare market share when one company doesn’t even sell low priced products. It’s the same for Windows.
You can get ultra cheap Pentium, Centrino and i3 processor based Windows computers, but Apple doesn’t even use those low end cheap processors. Apple is only concerned with the “sweet spot” of the market. They don’t go after the ultra low end and they don’t go after the ultra high end. Meaning, they don’t make $50K workstations. In terms of OS, Apple updates their products longer than Android products.
I’ve own Android devices that didn’t get any updates from the mfg. The device came with Lollipop and it never got an update. That to me, is just a product that was dumped on the market and the company didn’t give a flip about the customer getting updates in a timely manner. While you THINK this was some no name cheap Chinese brand. Well, it wasn’t. This is an HP product.
Not only did I not get any OS updates, the product got released in 2015, and it’s not that old of a device. Well, yeah, kind of. I also have an iPad and I can get much better apps for iOS than Android. It’s no contest. IOS over Android. Games run better and they get newer generation games on the market faster for iOS than Android.
Music/video creation/production apps? IOS far superior for that over Android. There are certain markets where Apple kicks Android. If you ever went to a NAMM show convention, and you looked around at all of the booths trying to find someone showing anything Android related, you would think that Android devices have no market share. It’s kind of funny. Most of the companies in that world support iOS, macOS, sometimes Windows, and rarely Android.
Heck, even Windows support isn’t as high as it once was for the music creation/production world. A lot of newer apps are iOS only. So for some people, they live in a world where Android is not a player, at all. Notice when bands play concerts, you see mostly MacBook Pros and iPads being used.
It’s just how things are for that industry. I’m sure if you like creating custom themes and stuff like that, Android is where you want to be, but that’s only a small group of geeks that like playing around with the UI because they have nothing better to do. Now, if you go to a 3rd world country that’s riddled with poverty?
Yeah, Android is King. But as people become more affluent, they are more likely going to move to iPhone, it’s just the way it is. In the US, IOS market penetration is about 40%, but there is a fair amount of people that live in poverty, are drug dealers using cheap burner phones, and they are using Android, but if you look at the $400+ market, Apple has the most market share out of any single company, but they still have a hefty 40%+ market share rate when looking at the premium priced market. Some of us don’t even consider the low end market because they are just buying really cheap devices that can’t run the latest OS and those people simply don’t really do much other than what they would use a feature phone for. In the Enterprise market?
IOS has about 70% market share. See a pattern??
It has been proven that unless your iphone, the intermediate isp and dns jumps and the end point are using strong encryption, your traffic is quite open to easy hacking. For example is the fbi case against iphone. As is the case of using any phone to make international calls using ssl7. As is the case where john macafee not only spoke to the perceived higher security of an iphone, but proved it is hardly a barrier to any hacker truly interested in the contents of your so called encrypted phone. As is the case where a small german (but well regarded) security company showed live hacking of any iphone REMOTELY simply by knowing the phone number of EITHER the caller or the callee.
As is the case where the NSA is known to have secretly exploited at least 6 zero day exploits of the iphone technology, but refuse to show apple of these exploits. (you can draw your own conclusion why Apple has not sought a court case or foia request against the US government) the lesson here.the principle take away, is that you should not be trusting any mobile device for data and communications that you truly trust. Look at the freaking international SWIFT banking technology! There is no real securityonly the perceptions of itan illusion.
If you want real security, quite frankly you should never have it on a commercial grade retail piece of hardware. Yes, security is a game of degree of risk.versus cost. To the average consumer, attaining even a slight degree of security has proven over and time again to be non-achievable. Just remember, it was the patriot act that paved the way for commercial enterprise into the wide wild world of hacking every system.with the US government turning a blind eye, as long as it was permitted access as well. This is the new cold world age of technology.
Where the hackers and the technology that makes it possible, is the new age source of power, money, politics, and influence. Websites can do stuff to the PC by you simply visiting the website.
It is much less common these days though. I had it happen in the 90’s with Internet Explorer. I visited a website and it executed a script that downloaded and executed software and that software downloaded more software and the downloaded software and website script crippled the systems performance such that there was literally nothing to do but power off the machine to stop it all, then along came Hyper Threading and Dual Core CPU’s and such attacks became unlikely to bring a computer to its knees in order to stop the user from stopping the assault (hooray!). To suggest the android platform is more secure than a desktop really requires more than just opinion to back up the claim. For example (s): Are we talking about android bloated with firmware bloat baked in from the manufacturer?
Or and we talking about pure ANDROID from Google itself only available to a very narrow band of devices, such as the nexus line, lg, or Motorola. Now let’s shift the the question of desktop: Windows? Which version, and what updates thereof and which blocked? Apple.same question.which version? Linux desktop. Same question.which version Then the other serious question relayed to all: how are there devices accessing the web? Through mobile data or standard WiFi through ISP?
Or a secure VPN? The WRITER of this article has made a very general and suspect opinion about many things here, and plainly these claims require much clarification AND data to back them up. Here is how I consider android. With restrictionnever financial data. And I’m using a very secure custom ROM and firmware flashed PROPERLY to a note 3 (t Mobile version that has unlocked bootloader)courtesy of a trusted open sourced and properly is patched CM12.1.
Also using a proper paid VPN. And yet, I would never consider doing any financial actions on this device. Its not being paranoid. Its expecting that yesterday AMD tomorrow security flaws have already been exploited, and the security experts just haven’t caught up yet.
That is what history shows. You can apply this attitude of skepticism to any OS and any device. People would do well to pull back from assuming so much security from these technologies. That behavior fuels a several billion dollar criminal enterprise annually.
The Play store has been repeatedly found to be weak in scanning. There were numerous apps with Quad weakenesses on the Play store at the time of disclosure. While you do point out correctly that you can gain a great deal of safety by properly utilizing your phone you then go on to indicate you should root it when that’s not enough? That’s deep end material and certainly not a resort that other platforms need to use to be safe. The platform is inherently designed to fill landfills with old devices and get you to pony up for a new one. Now that people are beginning to see the unshielded real costs of these devices it will become more clear why this is a bad choice.
I recently got a message on FB messenger, it had an RTF attachment that I didn’t click on however I did try to open the message which took me to an attorney website on Facebook but paid no attention to it. From that minute on I’ve had nothing but issues- I’m an 80’s DOS and Windows 3.1 guy, I don’t fall for Crap usually but I’m blond and not perfect. I’ve uninstalled messenger and still have performance issues (the phone is slow, not me) battery is gone in hours, and it works slow. The phone is a Note 5, does anyone have a fix for this instead of using insurance to replace the tainted phone. Oh, usually I revoke most permissions on most apps. Thanks in advance TerrDawg •.
Install malwarebytes app (its free) and run it. Download Sims 2 Censor Patch Cheat Code there. If you have “common” malware, it will find it and fix it. Always use a good av and malware app to protect your phone. And of course, do not click on or open any email or text message (or even answer a phone call) that you do not recognize. It the best line of defense to just say no when it comes to unknown communications.
Install a solid memory and app cleaner. Macafee/Intel has one that I use. Sometimes it isn’t a malware per se that is slowing your device but lots of crap! Sometimes it can be both. After cleaning malware, you can usually fix issues of performance taxing from said malware by doing a solid cleaning. Note: you can also perform a very deep cleaning, if you boot into recovery “safe mode” and select a “wipe cache”. Note: this MAY default of all your settings for your apps and the android settings for your device, but at this point, it might be a good time to revisit each of those settings anyway and make sure they are what they should be, what you want them to be.
If the above do not help improve the performance of your device. You can go boot your device into recovery and then choose to reset your device back to factory. This will will wipe all data, all apps, and all settings and you will have your phone just as it was when you first bought it. It is important before you do this to understand some of the consequences and plan accordingly. Such things as: what is your apn settings.what are the key apps that you installed. What are the settings that you need to remember to make your device setup smooth and easy.
It’s a lot of work, even if you write all of this down before your do a factory reset, but it is a royal pain in the ass if you skip doing your prep work first. Note: google “can” perform a sort of recovery from saved passwords and apps feature, but to be honest I have never trusted that type of automatic backup to google servers for important passwords and apps passwords and settings. I always do it manually. If you still cannot get the performance issues solved, you have just a handful of options: a. You can get a professional to flash your device back to stock ROM and then go through all of the important updates and then setup your phone. This will be necessary “IF” your device has been corrupted with a hardware or firmware level malware. Not nearly as rare as most people understand.
In fact, about every thirty days I do this very thing to my device. Just as a good preventative maintenance, there are many benefits.
One of which is discovering truly what are some of the effects of setting up a phone from scratch. You learn alot about the software and performance when you do this. If your phone is out of warranty and finding a reputable professional to flash the stock ROm to your phone and helping you set it up, then you could just learn to flash the rom yourself at cyanogenMod.org. It is pretty much the go for learning how to flash a custom rom for your device. There are many benefits to doing this.
But one has to understand the consequences of doing it improperly: you can brick your phone if you don’t understand what you are doing. That established, Flashing a custom CM ROM allows you to remove stock ROM bloatware, that robs your performance (memory, battery!) that your vendor pre-installed!
In most cases, your device performance will improve significantly using a custom CM ROM for your phone. However, it is vitally important that you read the known issues for BEFORE you flash anything. Sometimes, the developers have problems for example making a working firmware equivalent of using the pen for the galaxy note series. If that is a problem, don’t install the ROM!
Also it is important to make a full image backup of your stock ROM just in case you are not happy with a CM ROM and you “want to go back”. Know how to do this and how to restore it.
The steps for flashing a rom and the considerations are not for the lazy minded looking for a golden parachute. If you know what you are doing and how to fix problems, it is awesome. But often practicioners do not fully understand the full implicationsand that is when trouble begins. For example: samsung loves to use the KNOX technology to protect the firmware rom. When you flash over this, you trip this technology. Should you choose to desire to get back to a stock ROM image from samsung for your device, you will have problems as a consequence of tripping this KNOX firmware based security feature. It is impossible to overcome this, but to suggest it takes a lot of pre-planning and knowledge it a understatement.
If you device is under warranty, samsung and your vendor consider manipulating your rom and firmware to be a warranty voiding event. This is where that KNOX technology comes into play. Generally speaking you will not find a samsung or a vendor support rep help you fix a bricked phone that was flashed in any way, including rooting. The main take away here cannot be over stated: only if you are competent and understand the risks, should you root or flash your device. In many cases, there is no easy way “go back”. For some, this is very liberating! As turning back is not longer a consideration.because they find the performance and security and better more secure settings they can use with a custom ROM is far and away an improvement over the stock junk they were sold in the first place.
For others, flashing and rooting, is the most frustrating and humiliating experience in their digital lives. And usually they complain it is someone else’s fault.
So you have it. If you follow the advice above in order that I presented it, you have a good idea of what and how to improve the performance of your device. And the cautions. Android is safer by nature due to the way it works. Just think even if it were not already running on one of the most secure kernels ever invented, the very one the top security specialists use -Linux, each application runs as it’s own user which when Android released was revolutionary in security. Now that the model has gotten more convenient, there are some possible issues but those would require a great deal of effort on the user’s part to disable Android’s security to work.
These antivirus companies are all losing money because security is getting better. Heck Windows with Chrome is very secure.
You have to willingly let a program make a harmful change and with Windows Defender you needn’t even buy antivirus anymore. If your computer or phone pops up a warning that you have a virus or security problem it’s very simple. Don’t touch anything on the notification. Close it and leave there site you are on, uninstall the new app you are in, or do a scanif you think it worth it. Chances are you may never have a virus or problem. It’s all scare tactics and sensationalism as well as competing platforms looking for a way to increase sales. I’m a software developer and long time PC builder, user and Android user.
I haven’t had an infection of any kind is over 13 years.