Malware from SD card

[eligri]

Hi!

I have an old PC that was infected with malware.
I also have an SD card that I used on that computer to transfer files for a game device.

I need to transfer more files to that SD card, can I safely do so using my Samsung phone?
No files will be transfered to the phone, only from the phone to the SD card. Not sure if Android still allows auto-run or launch commands on drive plugin? I know a fair bit of malware and viruses spread to Windows computers using that flaw back in the day.

Thanks for any input!

 

[SyCoREAPER]

Hi!

I have an old PC that was infected with malware.
I also have an SD card that I used on that computer to transfer files for a game device.

I need to transfer more files to that SD card, can I safely do so using my Samsung phone?
No files will be transfered to the phone, only from the phone to the SD card. Not sure if Android still allows auto-run or launch commands on drive plugin? I know a fair bit of malware and viruses spread to Windows computers using that flaw back in the day.

Thanks for any input!

You're likely fine. Me being IT, depending on the size of the card, would just buy a new one, they are cheap unless it's large capacity.

If you have something else lying around like a dashcam or old mp3 player you could use that to reformat it.

However as mentioned, it's unlikely even if there were malware files on it that they are targeting Android. But my advice is at your own risk.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Do you need to keep the current files on that SD card? If not, then do a full format of the card, and that should resolve any concerns.

If there are files on that card you want to keep, then do a virus scan of the card using any reputable security suite on a PC to make sure the files are safe. If you want to be extra careful, copy those files to the PC, do a full format of the card, then copy the files back.

 

[eligri]

Unfortunately not able to reformat it. The files on there need to remain. It is full of old games, with saves - just looking to add new games.

I mean it consists of mostly weird file formats, no .exe or similar. Also can even malware auto-install to Android from an SD card? Wouldn't I need to actively run a .apk file or something?

 

[B. Diddy]

In that case, just run a malware scan of the files on the card itself using a Windows PC.

Malware can't auto-install. The user has to allow installation of a malicious package (so if you were to get prompted to allow installation of anything, you should immediately cancel).

 

[Windroid 2483]

Safety is relative. Even if your Windoes computer (if that's what you mean by "PC") did infect your SD card with malware, I don't think that malware be able to infect an Android computer (smartphones are computers). I'm not saying that there's no risk here. But if I were you, I'd probably scan the SD card for viruses and then use it as normal.

 

[eligri]

I see several suggestions about scanning it using my Windows PC. Isn't that likely to put my PC at risk?

I feel like the odds are higher of that happening, and it would be equally bad as my phone getting infected.

So does malware not auto install from SD to Android? If it does NOT , then I should be (in theory) 100% safe to move files to the SD card using my Android phone?

 

[Windroid 2483]

So does malware not auto install from SD to Android? If it does NOT , then I should be (in theory) 100% safe to move files to the SD card using my Android phone?

I'm sure that there's some way to get malware to auto-install from an SD card onto Android (if by no other means, then by some securty hole which has not yet been discovered). The question is not if it's possible, but if it's a realistic risk.

 

[eligri]

Yeah, I'll lower that 100% to a 99.99% --> am I 99.99% safe just plugging that SD card into a USB C adapter, and tossing some files on it from my phone?
Because that is good enough for me

 

[eligri]

Went ahead and used the phone. No obvious oddities. Assume I'm very likely in the clear then?

 

[Windroid 2483]

Went ahead and used the phone. No obvious oddities. Assume I'm very likely in the clear then?

Even if your Windoes computer did spread it's malware onto your SD card, it's unlickly that this malware will be able to touch Android. You've been very lickly in the clear this whole time.

I see several suggestions about scanning it using my Windows PC. Isn't that likely to put my PC at risk?

A Windoes computer is another matter! Windows malware is designed to infect Windows. So it'd be better to scan your card using a computer with another operating system.

And you happen to have one: Your smartphone (smartphoens are computers) runs Android. You'll need to use some virus scanner which will detect non-Android viruses on the card.

 

[eligri]

Even if your Windoes computer did spread it's malware onto your SD card, it's unlickly that this malware will be able to touch Android. You've been very lickly in the clear this whole time.


A Windoes computer is another matter! Windows malware is designed to infect Windows. So it'd be better to scan your card using a computer with another operating system.

And you happen to have one: Your smartphone (smartphoens are computers) runs Android. You'll need to use some virus scanner which will detect non-Android viruses on the card.

Do those exist?

 

[Windroid 2483]

Do those exist?

Does what exist?