Antivirus on Android or not?

[CCloth]

Can you get viruses from websites without actually downloading anything? Like you do with PCs.

 

[nessinhaw]

the best anti virus will always be the user! so here goes a few tips:

1 - only download apps from Play Store

BUT

2 - PAY ATTENTION TO PERMISSIONS! when you see an app (from an unknown developer) requesting access to basically everything on your phone, run away from it immediately!
also, check the app features and permissions to see if the app really needs access to that!
because yes, there is hidden malware, scam apps and such in the Play Store, and anti virus just won't get those, making it useless in the end!

and what is the best way for malware to reach Play Store unnoticed? permissions exploit!

we do have Facebook and other famous apps requesting a bunch of permissions, but we all know what they do lol it is the unknown developers we should be careful about!

3 - don't click unknown links, like, EVER!
also be careful with unknown websites

4 - if you root or side load apks, do it knowing an anti virus might not always detect the malware...no anti virus has 100% effectiveness! that's a reason why an AV database is constantly being updated

 

[crownybest]

I have never used an antivirus app. I think that it would just eat away at battery life with no purpose. I only install apps from the playstore...

 

[Billy Bob Jimmy Joe]

The thing is that they shouldn't call it anti "virus". Instead it should simply be called security apps. As far as I know there are no viruses for Android.

Google Nexus 6P

 

[SandersJC1964]

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[SandersJC1964]

blah, blah

wat?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[nasznjoka]

Except that they are nothing but permissions checker while slowing the phone down.... They can not even disable any app.... Don't install

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Zombies8MyGf]

In my past 5 years of using Android, I haven't encountered a single security risk, nor have I met someone (online or in person) who has encountered a security risk.

BTW antivirus apps are useless when users install apps that ask for permission to view all of their private data, and the user still installs it anyways.

I second this. I've had mine for almost 2 years, not a single security issue. I'm sure if you dabble in things that are sketchy then yes. My girlfriend has had her droid for almost 3 years, not a single security issue. It's not necessary.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[vineydhiman]

Ammmmm Yes, I guess everyone must install the best antivirus app to ensure that protection. The good thing is that there are lots of free antivirus apps which you can install on your computer

 

[Teddy the Espurr]

Problem is, we don't know what we are dealing with in the first place. Remember, Android is based on Linux and anti-virus on it isn't really the same with Windows.

It's a commom misconception that Android works like a Windows PC. When something goes wrong on their phones, one would try and fix it as if it's a Windows OS, and most of the time it'll never work.

I don't really believe there were any dangerous Linus viruses that work on Android, so nah, there's no need for an anti-virus yet.

 

[rahulpah]

well i am using avast antivirus on my phone.... it works really great you should also use it

 

[Inders99]

NOTE: For anyone who cares, I did some heavy editing to my post #23 in this thread which lists apps and vendors whose apps should be considered to be malware. Made some additions, did some rewriting, etc. If such things concern you, you might want to check out the post and some of the links in it.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

Not sure I understand, I have CM Browser ever since I've had the G4 (since early summer) and it's been flawless.

 

[Crashdamage]

These links will explain about CM products. Consider yourself lucky not to be subjected to obnoxious popups etc so far.

http://androidforums.com/threads/cache-cleaner.923369/#post-7001396

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?p=4435166

This has links to other opinions about CM stuff.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?p=4957636

360 Security should be avoided for the same reasons as CM.

Again, please read my post #23 in this thread.

 

[chesterdawg]

True, there's plenty of things to worry about in the Play store. Plenty of malware to go around. The problem is, antivirus apps do almost nothing to protect you from Play store malware.

Here's a list of just a few the vendors and apps which have serious enough problems that they should be considered malware. Not one of the apps listed will be detected as Bad News by any antivirus app. Some are truly horrible. Any software from these companies should be considered to be malware. They may have serious privacy concerns such data-mining and sending your data to servers in China or elsewhere for who knows who to do who knows what with it. They may throw up nag ads or scary-sounding bogus warnings urging you to buy more software or else Bad Things will happen in order to get you to buy and install more of their malware. They may simply be ineffective or worse. Or they may be all of these things. But for some good reasons they are all crapware to be avoided like the plague or they would not have made this list.

Bad Vendors:
Cheetah Mobile (All the CM stuff, QuickPic and more)
DU Apps (DU Battery Saver, DU Speed Booster, others)
Baidu (Baidu Browser, Photo Wonder, others. Baidu owns DU Apps.)
Go Development Team (All GO apps)
360 Mobile Security
Apus Group

Bad Apps:
All CM apps including:
Clean Master
CM Security
CM Speed Booster
CM Keyboard
CM Flashlight
CM Backup
Battery Doctor
QuickPic (recently bought by CM/Baidu)
Photo Grid
Snap Share
File Manager
File Manager HD
File Manager Pro (there are legitimate apps also called File Manager)
...and more

All Baidu/DU Apps including:
Baidu Browser
Photo Wonder
DU Launcher
DU Battery Saver
DU speed Booster
DU Privacy Vault
...and many more

All Apus Group apps including:
Apus Launcher
Apus Browser
Apus Booster+
Apus Message Center
...and more.

Misc bad apps:
Cleaner Master (not the same as Clean Master)
360 Mobile Seurity
KK Browser
Boat Browser
UC Browser
Dolphin Browser
Maxthon Browser
...and many, many more.

ES File Explorer: See: this about ES File Explorer security concerns:
http://androidforums.com/threads/es-file-explorer-privacy-security-concerns.914178/#post-6941798
...and
http://androidforums.com/threads/problem-with-es-file-explorer.907922/page-2#post-690973


Also, not malware, but email apps with privacy concerns: (and some without).
See: http://androidforums.com/index.php?posts/7051405

Sooo...what is antivirus protecting us from? I've used Android since v1.0 and never seen antivirus stop a single legitimate threat. But it IS good at using a lack of knowledge, fear and paranoia to turn your money into theirs.

Wow!,
If that's true that all of those apps are garbage/malware etc. better off w/o them. Thanks for posting.

Steve

 

[Crashdamage]

That's only a partial list. Only the stuff I or others have had the time to research and verify. This list could be MUCH longer.

 

[Igor Sholomov]

I never used antivirus. I have been using Android for almost 5 - 6 years and have never had any problems.

 

[dtourond]

I've always maintained the notion that if you stick to the Google Play store, your chances of getting malware-infected apps are slim. If you do want to take a drip to the dark side and side-load apps, then make sure that the source is credible. Don't just download APKs willy-nilly. Another thing you could try doing is scanning the APK file using multiple scanners (not just one website with multiple scanners, I mean, multiple websites). That way, you get a better idea of whether that application is safe.

Another thing to look out for in any context, whether the app comes from the Google Play Store or anywhere outside of it, is the permissions that it wants you to grant it. An alarm clock app should not have access to your phone, contacts or other files. If you're rooted, you can use apps to disable certain services from an app, if it looks fishy to you.

 

[chesterdawg]

I've always maintained the notion that if you stick to the Google Play store, your chances of getting malware-infected apps are slim. If you do want to take a drip to the dark side and side-load apps, then make sure that the source is credible. Don't just download APKs willy-nilly. Another thing you could try doing is scanning the APK file using multiple scanners (not just one website with multiple scanners, I mean, multiple websites). That way, you get a better idea of whether that application is safe.

Another thing to look out for in any context, whether the app comes from the Google Play Store or anywhere outside of it, is the permissions that it wants you to grant it. An alarm clock app should not have access to your phone, contacts or other files. If you're rooted, you can use apps to disable certain services from an app, if it looks fishy to you.

I only download from the Google app store. I do use Greenify to hibernate apps but have not rooted my V10. I would have to download other software to add to Greenify (from within the app follow links) to root my phone and have never done that but have been thinking about it to get full use out of the app. I'm just a bit unsure about screwing up my V10, any tips on what steps to follow?

Thank you

 

[Crashdamage]

Greenify works differently than ordinary task killers and is less harmful. But it is actually beneficial in few situations. I have personally not found it made a significant difference. Use it carefully and sparingly.

 

[bitek]

I would not bother unless you install apps from any other source but google play

Posted via BlackBerry priv