It's weird. When I bought my first cellphone, I never expected I'd need an antivirus for it. When I bought my first "smartphone" I still didn't expect I'd need an antivirus. Well, Android has changed all that..... Ok, so, some background here.... A few weeks ago, my wife gets a popup on her N5 telling her that her antivirus (BitDefender Mobile) is out of date. It provides a button to "Update" it. She, being completely clueless, clicks on that button and the phone proceeds to download and install Qihoo 360 Mobile Security. As soon as I found out, I removed the app and scanned her phone with both Malwarebytes and BitDefender. Both came back clean, but similar messages keep popping up on her phone. So, obviously BitDefender has missed something here. I instructed her earlier to download Emsisoft Mobile as it's worked well for me on Windows. I'll be running it later this evening. So, now my question is..... What antivirus actually works on Android? I've played with Avast, Comodo, McAfee, Kaspersky, BitDefender, Trend Micro and Norton. I have no preference here so whatever will actually work, I'll install. Obviously BitDefender isn't doing the job currently else I wouldn't be going through this so they're out of the question at this point. That least Avast, McAfee, Comodo, Kaspersky, Trend Micro and Norton. Which of the 6 would be best? Would it be better just to let Emsisoft have it's way with the N5? lol
This wouldn't have happened without a nice warning first about enabling installing apps from unknown sources and how it is a security risk. The only way you wouldn't get that popup is it one of you had disabled it already, so it's your fault either way.
I'm using Kaspersky on my rooted Asus MeMo Pad HD7 (ME173X) more than 6 months and it's working perfectly. It's lightweight, fast, that tablet is working fast with Kaspersky like before Kaspersky was installed. It saved my butt few times destroying some malwares while I was browsing some suspicious sites. On my Android phone I'm not using any security software, but it's not rooted and I'm not using it for surfing on internet.
@dcx_badass - pull your head out bud. There's a reason we recommend people to run antivirus software and avoid questionable websites. The same approach should be taken with Android. Doesn't matter whether installation from unknown sources is enabled or not, malware can still infect Android. That fact has been proven. In this case, that was NOT enabled and an app I've been using on my own Android phone got infected on my wife's. Coincidentally, that app is only available through Google Play and the iOS App Store. Since it's not detected as infected on my phone, and was on my wife's....should I assume that Google Play is unsafe and block it from installing apps? The app came from a "trusted source" and was infected. Thank you for being the only one to respond with something useful. I installed Avast on her phone last night. It found and removed 1 piece of malware. Got a feeling there's more since she likes to click/tap on facebook ads. Coincidentally, the app that was detected as being infect, came directly from the Google Play store.
Yeah...That was kind of unnecessary DCX.... But no words like that from anyone. I would say Avast is pretty decent, make sure you look and see what permissions apps request as well! There's an app to block that, but can't remember what it's called...
I used AVG before, but it seems it does nothing besides consuming memory, so I uninstalled it. Currently I'm using MIUI rom with built in antivirus and I don't fell the need to install another one. Just did a check, it found nothing.
The free version of Avast gives you a ton of control over Android. Might have to exercise some of that control.
I have a reasonable doubt that all apps on Google Play are checked on regularly/daily basis by Google against some type of malicious code that can be implemented into some app by the app dev/author himself. Sure that all apps on Google Play are checked in early builds by Google to get their approval or there wont be a chance for those apps to be listed in a Google Play. Most popular apps are (I guess) checked more often by Google and there are also users who would report to the Google if some popular app is acting suspiciously. But is Google checking every single build of every single app listed on Google Play: I don't think so, now way they have resources to do that. I saw some apps get updated even few times a day and if some less popular app is used by unexperienced Android users there are chances that app dev can abuse that and drop some unwanted malicious adware/spyware or whatever in that app, maybe just for experiment purposes or of course to gain some benefits by app suspicious intentions. One more thing that many Android users don't care about even if they know about it and many of them don't use a single benefit of that feature: rooted Android device. In hands of experienced Android user rooted Android device is gift from the heaven just because of the fact that rooted device enables you to tune almost anything about OS and device himself, knowledge of Android user is the only limiting factor and of course hardware specs of that device. But in hands of unexperienced user rooted device paired with some apps from untrusted sources (and from Google Play too) can be a source of massive headaches both for that user and for others who are using that rooted Android device. Rooted device represents "opened door" for every kind of activities legal and less legal apps can do to the OS, HW and users data/files. Those who use rooted devices (and don't know what root stands for) if then install whatever gets their hands and click on all kinds of popups and ads it's just a matter of time when they're going to get themselfes into throuble. But I guess you already know all facts above, but your wife obviously doesn't... My suggestion is to check if your wife's N5 is rooted with some app from Google Play that requires root, lets say some Superuser or Root Checker app from Google Play. If it's rooted google about the way to unroot that N5. "Educate" her what she can click/install and what things is better to avoid. Regular scan with AV software is a must for her N5 in this phase. As time passes Android devices are going to get more vunerable to all kinds of malwares and I'm sure few years from now situation with viruses, spywares and all kinds of malwares on Android OS is going to get progressively worse, probably some kind of mini-hell like on Windows OS. I admit I'm getting tired more and more each day when I stumble on some dude/kid from the family or some friend who ruined his Android device by installing TONS of all kinds of crapware, games, apps that don't do anything besides slowing down that device and occupying storage space on it. Lot of them doesn't even care about what they install untill day they realise device is "running" like a snail, most apps can't be launch anymore, error popups here and there and when that happens they I guess think something like: "...OK, I'm gonna find some relative/friend who will fix all problems on my phone/tablet, waste few hours/days of his precious time and all that I'm going to get for free of course...and sure I'm not going to lose any of my data stored on that device..." ...and sad thing it that I was that friend/relative willing to burn my time for free instead to spent that time with my wife, kids and real friends who arenn't going to abuse me that way, much But a while ago I've "dropped support" for dudes mentioned above: OK, you've messed all those things, find someone who will fix all that, for money of course, maybe that'll teaches you not to mess with things you don't know anything about or you don't care a bit about. You're welcome Don't know about Avast for Android because I've didn't use it before but I guess it's simmilarly "equipped" with security features like Kaspersky for Android. I was also massively surprised with additional security features of Kaspersky for Android besides malware protection, let's say if you lost your Android device or someone stole it from you: with phone cameras you can secretly/remotely make a shots of thing happening in front of or on the back of the phone and send them to your Kaspersky account, device can send you GPS cordinates of itself, you can record audio/conversations of person who use your device, list of recently called numbers after device is missing, you can completely lock the device, wipe all your data on it, contact that person by message on the device... Can't ask for more than this
I use Lookout, I've never had a problem, speed wise or infection. Last review I read said 99% detection rate, so I'm happy enough. Personally I wouldn't touch Avast, I found the desktop experience awful, I can't imagine it being any better on android.
I've had my droid tablet about 4 years, never used an AV, never had any issues, but it's different for phones, as malware can cost a fortune on premium rate calls and texts Last time I checked, AVs for droid were useless anyway, might have improved since then but none of them detected much / if any malware at all, made MSE look amazing Plus don't all Droid apps run in their own little sandbox preventing infecting spreading to the OS?
Adaway kills ads system wide, not just in browsers http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2190753
I use the Dolphin browser on my Nexus 7 tablet. I was using a good free AV called TrustGo on it until the latest Android update caused it to drain the battery far too much. Presently, I have no AV installed.
Avast is a bit of a PITA as a "day to day" antivirus. However, on a heavily infected system, it can be the best application ever written. If configured properly, Avast is the best antivirus on the market for infection prevention. You just have to be willing to deal with the level of inconvenience that comes with that level of protection. There's very little malware for Android when compared to Windows, but there's still a considerable amount. Unfortunately, Android does not sandbox apps. BBOS uses a method of sandboxing.....if you want to call it that. On BBOS, each app is assigned the necessary ram and storage space, and is essentially run inside a VM, completely segregated from the OS and other apps. Android runs all apps within the user space. Every app has access to the system at the user level, same as other Linux distros.
Just played with it on my phone, Cyanogen Mod 11 and up gives you app permission controls, you can control what app has access to what.
