Viruses and unwanted downloads

[P7M8]

How susceptible is the Android platform to viruses? And with the "open" OS, what information is actually being accessed by the software developers?

At 4am this morning (while I was asleep) my device downloaded an "unknown" application. When I checked my application manager I found one item I did not download from the market place. It was a game that I was charged for. Not sure that that's what it was nor am I sure how this happened.

 

[Robbo323]

I'm wondering about the potential for viruses too. Lots of apps by authors all over the world. I downloaded an app by "Flexilis" that is supposed to be an antivirus program. It is also a "data backup" program & stores your info with them. I haven't activated it because I'm unsure what of MY data they will backup and who exactly could access it on their end. Anybody know how much concern we should have over malicious Android apps at this point & what, if any, anti-virus app is safe & secure?

 

[wsbsteven]

Viruses? I doubt it. You are more likely to see a trojan house by a program claiming to be something else than it downloads your address book or something. I can't say with 100% certainty that's not possible as I don't know how the app approval process goes.

 

[chrislitzkow]

My security protocol is to not download every app under the sun just to try it out for 30 seconds. Apps are great, but you ARE allowing access to all personal data you have on your device. Be reasonable, and I don't think anyone will have much of a problem. Malware developers are more likely to be spending time on the "masses", meaning iPhone users... for now.

 

[YoungChrisG]

My security protocol is to not download every app under the sun just to try it out for 30 seconds. Apps are great, but you ARE allowing access to all personal data you have on your device. Be reasonable, and I don't think anyone will have much of a problem. Malware developers are more likely to be spending time on the "masses", meaning iPhone users... for now.

I agree. Plus if you download anything from the app store I would expect that Google examines them well enough that they can be trusted.

I hope

 

[TootNBerry]

+1 to YoungChrisG

 

[YoungChrisG]

I stand corrected!

Gizmodo:
Stressing that it's a "market" (free, open, etc) rather than a "store," the Google folks have decided to not require an approval process for devs to have their applications listed, unlike Apple's mysterious black box of approval that even the developers still don't fully understand.

So maybe we should be carefull of what we download?

 

[Bigjay4]

I downloaded an app from the market avs antivirus. they have a free one and a premium version $4.99. I downloaded the free app and it works great no issued it runs in the background and is constantly scanning the phone for malware spam everything on your sd card. seems to be really food kinda reminds me of norton a lil though...

 

[stingray389]

Android is built on linux, not too sure about viruses associated with that system. That being said, there is a free app called antiVirus in the Market that has good reviews. Might be something to check out if you are worried about your phone being compromised.

 

[YoungChrisG]

Android is built on linux, not too sure about viruses associated with that system. That being said, there is a free app called antiVirus in the Market that has good reviews. Might be something to check out if you are worried about your phone being compromised.

I'm interested in the ACTUAL functionality of these "antivirus" apps. Do any of the reviews of the product/s say weither or not the app has in fact detected and deleted/removed the detected virus and what the virus was?

I myself am wary of apps and also PC programs such as these because it's hard to know if they are what they say they are.

Case in point: A friend of mine, with little PC knowledge, went to a site, a virus scan popped up saying his PC was infected with (such and such, yadda yadda) and needed to be cleaned. He, unknowingly, clicked ok and BAM trojans galore on his PC.

 

[darkstar]

Im trying out the Flexilis antivirus app now.. has a lost phone locate and backup feature too.. though i could not get the locate functions to work.. seems the other stuff does... hard to say i guess about the virus protection until you're attacked.. right?

 

[YoungChrisG]

Im trying out the Flexilis antivirus app now.. has a lost phone locate and backup feature too.. though i could not get the locate functions to work.. seems the other stuff does... hard to say i guess about the virus protection until you're attacked.. right?

Lol! True enough I would just hate to download an app and have it say one thing and the just sit there acting like it's working lol Or even worse doing what it says it's going to protect from.

 

[wsbsteven]

I think that AV program is just snake oil.