New to Android, Do i need an anti-virus on my new Pixel?

[Lilybell2]

I keep NFC off unless I actually need to use it. When finished, off it goes again. The same with Bluetooth... only on when needed.

 

[Billy Bob Jimmy Joe]

I keep NFC off unless I actually need to use it. When finished, off it goes again. The same with Bluetooth... only on when needed.

I do that along with location.

 

[Billy Bob Jimmy Joe]

Using an antivirus on your phone is like wearing a life jacket while taking a bath.

 

[Aquila]

Using an antivirus on your phone is like wearing a life jacket while taking a bath.

I'd say it's more like wearing a newspaper sailor hat while flying a plane. It's worthless, makes you look silly and has no impact whatsoever on the safe operation of the task at hand. Your analogy made it sound like overkill, where it was too much protection. In reality antivirus programs offer either no protection or worse, they themselves are the major compromise to your system.

The major steps to security and privacy are as follows:

1. Don't install apps from any unverified source, installing via the play store is always best. Also stay off of free stranger Wi-Fi unless Google's connectivity stuff is doing it via their VPN.

2. Don't ever install anything from Cheetah Mobile or similar companies, these apps are malware/spyware.

3. Don't buy phones that aren't guaranteed to receive monthly security updates.

4. Don't buy phones that aren't running the latest version of Android

5. Don't root

6. Don't use a microSD card. Not using it at all is best, but if you must, use adoptable storage with encryption.

7. Read the terms and privacy policies of the apps you are going to use and understand how they're using the data they ask to access.

8. Don't leave your device physically accessible to thieves and criminals.

9. Don't install any apps that you believe will give you paid content for free.

10. Uninstall all apps that serve ads without a way to turn them off in settings or via a purchase.

11. Uninstall apps you don't actually use.

12. Don't install apps from devs until you know exactly what you're getting and what they are getting out of it.

In short, keep your guard up. The basic security in a fully updated Android OS and the play store will do 99% of the work and the last 1% is just vigilance. But a user can undo almost all of Androids built in protection simply by circumventing them, such as rooting, installing apps from shady sources or shady devs on legit sources, etc. Vigilance.

 

[anon(847090)]

Yes, if you hand your phone over to someone and they have the right tools they can hack it. Hacking an Android phone without direct access to it or without installing a malicious app is virtually impossible. And it's very difficult to install a malicious app from the play store.

I would say its still hard to hack your phone if you handover the device to someone(with 7.1.1 and dec or jan security update and a lock screen)

they could try and unlock bootloader but then all data will be wiped and they would still not get to your data.
on top of that to unlock or authorize a device you need to go to developer settings to enable some options.

I am not saying its not possible but its hard for a normal person to do it

 

[WClark57]

1. Antivirus will not help much if you are concerned about hacking into your phone. Perhaps it will detect a rouge app that gives someone remote access, but that isn't guaranteed.
2. Staying within the ecosystem is better, but not foolproof. There is a setting that will allow you to download apps from outside Google store. It is off by default because that is the safest setting. You should leave it that way.
3. Malware payloads aren't restricted to applications. The only malware I've ever detected on my Linux box was in an attachment to an email. It was for Windows, but it shows that there are other means to get that sort of content on your system.
4. Ads have also been a delivery pipeline on some computers, so I consider any ad supported application evil.

That fact that you are on a Pixel (or Nexus for those lurkers out there ) means that you get regular security updates that fix some vulnerabilities. And truth be told, most of the worst require access to the device, so keep it locked and with you.

For example: Google Patches 74 Vulnerabilities in Android | SecurityWeek.Com

Bottom line? Nothing is 100% safe. Even following all the security rules leaves you vulnerable, and the biggest vulnerability cannot be patched because the vulnerability is that we continue to allow humans to operate these devices. Android is more secure than some, and not so risky that an antivirus would be on my required list as long as you follow what others in this thread have pointed out. If you use your phone to its fullest extent, or use free, ad supported applications, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad idea to load Malwarebytes and occasionally scan your system, what ever you use, you likely don't need it watching your system all the time to detect incoming payloads if you follow the things mentioned by nearly everyone who has commented on this thread. The final decision depends on how you rate the risk involved.

As to potential battery drain, I've never experienced much of that.

 

[Vaping_Orchard]

It probably is very rare, but in 2016 I got a virus on my new Galaxy Note 5. I hadn't gone anywhere shady. I took it back to Best buy, and Verizon replaced it. So it's not impossible to get a virus from legit websites. And I was using the Verizon antivirus at the time.

Also, as of late there has been some shady apps get past the Google play store security. Some fake apps and games. And people can hack your phone from just an app, they don't need to actually touch your phone. They can imbed stuff that can turn on your microphone or camera or access your pay stuff. I say it's better to he safe then sorry.

But alot of antiviruses are gimmicks and actually hurt your phone more. So research a good one.

 

[FAHMI BASSEM]

Can i consider Google play protect as an antivirus?