Android Antivirus for HTC One (M8)?

[anon(596177)]

Just because your anti-virus application pops up the occasional message about removing or blocking a threat doesn't mean it has really benefited you. First of all, anti-virus apps tend to be overly cautious and end up blocking a lot of totally harmless, normal things. The vast majority of these "threats" are actually totally harmless. Chances are your anti-virus program has never blocked a single virus. Secondly, the publishers of these anti-virus apps have an incentive to "block" something occasionally, to reinforce the idea that you need an anti-virus program. It's completely overblown.

Modern browsers and operating systems provide all the security you need assuming you're smart enough not to install "videoplayer.exe" from that porn site.

Well sir while I respect your opinion much like I respect anyone else who has a chance to speak their mind I will continue to respectfully disagree with this outlook and opinion. I have seen firsthand what type of damage can be done on a computer that has no Antivirus installed and it's not pretty. Yeah, most of the crap is just that, crap annoyances that try to ransom your computer for a 200 dollar quick fix. Then there are the key loggers and packet sniffers that will install themselves invisibly on to your computer after you download something that seems legitimate, record everything you do, transmit it elsewhere only for you to find out your credit cards and bank accounts have been compromised. Does it happen frequently? No. But it DOES happen and not having that active protection there increases the chances exponentially from the 0.02% they probably really are.

On today's machines there is virtually no overhead from a light active scanner like AVG and MSE. There's really no reason NOT to have one. But that's my outlook and you may disagree.

Edit: I do normally watch what is blocked when my scanner pops up with a threat and yes I do sometimes see the threat being something in my computer that I willingly downloaded that is throwing a flag for some reason or another (and old old game key generator comes to mind) but no, that doesn't happen often. The pop-ups themselves don't come up often, but often enough for me to not want to think about running around on the Internet without an active scanner.

 

[anon(596177)]

While viruses can be transferred via file attachments from email on Gmail and Yahoo or any other source, you'll never get one from going to Google and finding that it's been infected by some hacker. They take their security seriously, that's just not a thing that happens. What might happen is a redirect to a phishing site that looks like Google. But that's only going to fool you if you don't know what to look for, and usually only going to happen if you've already been somewhere you shouldn't and downloaded the initial part of the virus.

Again, you'll almost never get a virus if you know what you're doing. I work in IT as well, and yeah, I'd be hesitant to recommend that a non experienced user go Antivirus free because most people are idiots when it comes to computer hygiene and will click on every single thing they see and hit install or download all day long.

If it makes you any less skeptical I do have a couple of virus scanners (non active protection) like Malwarebytes, that I run occasionally just to double check. But yeah, don't be an ***** online, don't get viruses. This is especially true of Android. You basically have to install and run something that almost always looks extremely shady.

For me, on computers and on Android, the intrusiveness of Antivirus isn't worth it. avg is alright, but still slows things down during automatic scans. Programs like mcafee or Norton are basically no better than viruses themselves. And working in IT when a user brings their computer in with a virus, 90% of the time they're running some kind of Antivirus. It's just not worth the cost for advanced users.

Sent from my HTC One M8

But you can indeed get one from downloading a program (let's say RealPlayer as an example) from a third party site or "legitimate mirror" that happens to be packaged with the downloadable zip. Not having real time protection you aren't going to catch that. You don't have to be computer dumb to have malicious code installed on your computer. It's just a more likely if you don't know what you're doing.

Ok back on topic.

I have since reading this post for the first time installed AVG on my phone as I was curious how bad the footprint would be. In the week or so I have had it ive noticed no additional battery drain, if there was any it's been very minor, and the footprint in the battery usage window in the phone settings is almost non existent. It is set up to scan once a week when plugged in, so a scan never affects battery or performance as I'm never using it when it does its scan, and active scanning scans anything that is downloaded on the phone at the time it's downloaded. For a phone Antivirus I think it works very nicely with no noticeable performance or battery hit.

 

[trivor]

While viruses can be transferred via file attachments from email on Gmail and Yahoo or any other source, you'll never get one from going to Google and finding that it's been infected by some hacker. They take their security seriously, that's just not a thing that happens. What might happen is a redirect to a phishing site that looks like Google. But that's only going to fool you if you don't know what to look for, and usually only going to happen if you've already been somewhere you shouldn't and downloaded the initial part of the virus.

Again, you'll almost never get a virus if you know what you're doing. I work in IT as well, and yeah, I'd be hesitant to recommend that a non experienced user go Antivirus free because most people are idiots when it comes to computer hygiene and will click on every single thing they see and hit install or download all day long.

If it makes you any less skeptical I do have a couple of virus scanners (non active protection) like Malwarebytes, that I run occasionally just to double check. But yeah, don't be an ***** online, don't get viruses. This is especially true of Android. You basically have to install and run something that almost always looks extremely shady.

For me, on computers and on Android, the intrusiveness of Antivirus isn't worth it. avg is alright, but still slows things down during automatic scans. Programs like mcafee or Norton are basically no better than viruses themselves. And working in IT when a user brings their computer in with a virus, 90% of the time they're running some kind of Antivirus. It's just not worth the cost for advanced users.

Sent from my HTC One M8

Even if you're careful (I only go to web sites with a decent readership and reputation and I still get something that pops up every few years that is caught before it gets on my computers or needs to be cleaned up because the real time monitoring didn't pick it up. I don't think it's very necessary on phones (because I'm not really working or browsing as much as the desktop and a phone has less horsepower to handle the task) and I once got a virus (back in 05) on a brand new computer that had Anti Virus installed (basically the old Norton crapware) and got infected as I was connecting to the internet to update the computer (my first task). Fortunately I hadn't done anything else so I just booted up the recovery CD and reinstalled Windows XP.

 

[Axefire]

I use CM Security... No impact to battery or performance. Is AVG better? A lot of folks out here are using it I see, also notice nobody is using CM ...cringe.


Anyone who says they don't need AV especially on a computer is flat out of their mind. I also am an IT pro and can clearly tell you it's manditory! The only system I do not run AV on is my studio DAW (recording studio PC) because it's not connected to any network and I never copy anything except .wav or .mp3s to it!

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[pnoozi]

But you can indeed get one from downloading a program (let's say RealPlayer as an example) from a third party site or "legitimate mirror" that happens to be packaged with the downloadable zip. Not having real time protection you aren't going to catch that. You don't have to be computer dumb to have malicious code installed on your computer. It's just a more likely if you don't know what you're doing.

How am I going to be infected by malware? Unlike many years ago, my operating system and browser (along with everyone else's) are always updated to the latest, most secure version. I don't download files from untrusted sources.

 

[Relgoshan]

Just because your anti-virus application pops up the occasional message about removing or blocking a threat doesn't mean it has really benefited you. First of all, anti-virus apps tend to be overly cautious and end up blocking a lot of totally harmless, normal things. The vast majority of these "threats" are actually totally harmless. Chances are your anti-virus program has never blocked a single virus. Secondly, the publishers of these anti-virus apps have an incentive to "block" something occasionally, to reinforce the idea that you need an anti-virus program. It's completely overblown.

Modern browsers and operating systems provide all the security you need assuming you're smart enough not to install "videoplayer.exe" from that porn site.

We're not talking about false positives here which are almost ZERO chance these days. And I will leave aside PUPs also. Rootkits and virii are REAL and I have to remove them for people on a daily basis. Most often what happens is their kid disabled the Windows nagboxes for some reason, then they accidentally run a program that has a media file icon because Windows HIDES the file extension. Honest mistake and very common for normal people messing around online. Security software is like good secret police, it sneaks around bopping spies over the head while ignorant users stare at cats.

Even if you're careful (I only go to web sites with a decent readership and reputation and I still get something that pops up every few years that is caught before it gets on my computers or needs to be cleaned up because the real time monitoring didn't pick it up. I don't think it's very necessary on phones (because I'm not really working or browsing as much as the desktop and a phone has less horsepower to handle the task) and I once got a virus (back in 05) on a brand new computer that had Anti Virus installed (basically the old Norton crapware) and got infected as I was connecting to the internet to update the computer (my first task). Fortunately I hadn't done anything else so I just booted up the recovery CD and reinstalled Windows XP.

I had Norton get jacked back then too. Part of the core framework ran on Trident and could be easily severed from the backend so it looked like it was still working.

How am I going to be infected by malware? Unlike many years ago, my operating system and browser (along with everyone else's) are always updated to the latest, most secure version. I don't download files from untrusted sources.

My customers say that too and they still get infected....

 

[kronosqq]

We're not talking about false positives here which are almost ZERO chance these days. And I will leave aside PUPs also. Rootkits and virii are REAL and I have to remove them for people on a daily basis. Most often what happens is their kid disabled the Windows nagboxes for some reason, then they accidentally run a program that has a media file icon because Windows HIDES the file extension. Honest mistake and very common for normal people messing around online. Security software is like good secret police, it sneaks around bopping spies over the head while ignorant users stare at cats.



I had Norton get jacked back then too. Part of the core framework ran on Trident and could be easily severed from the backend so it looked like it was still working.



My customers say that too and they still get infected....

I see false positives all the time on friends computers that run Antivirus, especially when it comes to the super invasive programs like McAfee and Norton.

As for customers, anyone who can't remove a virus themselves is probably incapable of correctly distinguishing a good source from a bad one. And when working in IT I've seen just as many people come in with infected machines running Antivirus than I have without. Even if there was absolutely no impact on performance for Antivirus programs, which there absolutely can be during scans, there's just no reason for advanced users to run it if they have safe browsing habits.

Sent from my HTC One M8

 

[Mooncatt]

I'd beg to differ. I've been infected by ones before that hijacked a legitimate site, with my system fully up to date, and running different anti-malware programs. AVG detected it, but not until after the infection happened and couldn't remove it.

Safe browsing habits or not, it's a cat and mouse game. If a hacker find a new exploit to infect with, it still takes time for the exploit to be patched. Anti-malware programs can help stop the infection in the mean time.

 

[Relgoshan]

Especially on your PC, yes a protocol-level security software that also monitors your browser cache has the best chance of stopping an *invisible zero-day injection attack*. From a previously trusted site that has been hacked. The real good stuff just wants SSNs and CC credentials, it doesn't want to do anything that lets you know it is there. The lazy stuff just injects tons of ads, that is where most of the PUP classification comes from.

A properly configured system with some AV better than that McAffee trash should not easily fall, and should sooner give danger signs that something has gone wrong. I have seen ONE false positive from Norton in the last two years, across all computers I have serviced. ONE. And it was some obscure script based tool for updating price data in a CSV flat database.

 

[Axefire]

How am I going to be infected by malware? Unlike many years ago, my operating system and browser (along with everyone else's) are always updated to the latest, most secure version. I don't download files from untrusted sources.

Have you ever heard the term ZERO DAY? Well, AV software is updated much faster than service packs and latest versions of software! Usually, on ZERO DAY or DAY 1. Unfortunately you WILL get hit one day. When you do (not if but WHEN) you'll realize AV is mandatory.

 

[masseurca]

Connecting your unprotected computer to the Internet will get you infected within minutes, without doing a thing. There are studies on the net over the years how long it takes.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using AC Forums mobile app

 

[HeroicLove]

The best and cheapest and-virus software is the human mind.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Relgoshan]

The best and cheapest and-virus software is the human mind.

Posted via Android Central App

Yeah good luck with that, I just stripped about twenty drive-by installs from a single phone. SET your phone browser to DESKTOP and avoid mobile-optimized websites, that eliminates nearly ALL risk in one stroke. Not even kidding, in the worst case a single domain tried to push .apk downloads with every other click. And at least two of those tried to bypass the permission-to-install page. Same site identifying as desktop, ZERO drive-by .apk files but suddenly my "Flash Player" and my "Media Player" were critically out of date and "you wont' Having the movies without the Software!!" :3 Silly malware.

 

[HeroicLove]

Yes, I suppose that scenario would warrant anti-virus software. No doubt there are super malicious mobile sites out there. Lookout does the trick for me and a vigilant eye.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Daverk]

Have you got any plans to install any particular antivirus?

Sent from my GT-P3110 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Daverk]

Any plans for install any particular antivirus software?

Sent from my GT-P3110 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Dec077]

Have a look at this article, "Beware of Fake Google Apps that Steal User Data of Android Smartphone Users ":

au.ibtimes.com/articles/559750/20140721/fake-google-apps-steal-data-android-smart.htm?fs=4fc87

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Axefire]

Connecting your unprotected computer to the Internet will get you infected within minutes, without doing a thing. There are studies on the net over the years how long it takes.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using AC Forums mobile app

Average unprotected computer connected to the internet gets compromised within 5 minutes.

Posted via Android Central app

 

[SomeTechNoob]

Avast

 

[kronosqq]

Average unprotected computer connected to the internet gets compromised within 5 minutes.

Posted via Android Central app

I've seen that thrown around and it's ridiculous. For one, the 5 minute thing was about the Blaster Worm virus for an unpatched version of Windows XP that was intentionally targeted. Unless you're running Windows XP with absolutely NO updates and NO service packs while intentionally sending a virus in the direction of your computer, you're fine. If that statistic were true, my three main computers would each have over 12 million infections on them from the last 2 years of running without antivirus, when they have no infections whatsoever. There might be merit to a study about how quickly the average user can be tricked into installing malware, but for advanced users it still wouldn't apply.