Can a file (apk, txt, png, jpeg etc) install and run itself after getting downloaded?

[Android Central Question]

I recently got an apk and a .txt file out of nowhere (prob drive-by download)

I checked and turns out it was from a malicious website which's main page was the one to download the APK
And it's second page I got redirected to was the one that downloaded the . txt (might even be a fake txt file extension because I only enabled "show extension" a few hours ago and the .txt was still there before I turned it on)

Could any of the 2 files have installed/ran themselves automatically through any kind of exploits

I deleted them anyways but I just want to make sure they never had the chance to have any effects on my phone

 

[mustang7757]

You would have to download and open .

I'll leave a Link to register so you can communicate here as a guest account you can only post questions but can't reply

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=409154

 

[Albert_76]

It was already automatically downloaded I just realized it later

But I was just wondering if it is capable of installing, running and executing itself automatically (and hide all of this so I don't know it even got installed) just like how drive-by download attacks work on PC's

 

[mustang7757]

It was already automatically downloaded I just realized it later

But I was just wondering if it is capable of installing, running and executing itself automatically (and hide all of this so I don't know it even got installed) just like how drive-by download attacks work on PC's

Hi, welcome to AC!
On andriod phones it harder then on pc , you would have to install it after downloaded.

Heres a quick link to look over
https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=1015048

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I'm not aware of any malware that can auto-install on Android devices. There might be some rare outliers, but they usually require a lot of other unsafe behaviors for successful infection.