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Anti-virus apps?

jackroo

jackroo

Android Enthusiast
I'm new so forgive me if this has already been addressed in a previous thread. Just wanted to get involved here and get different opinions. I've been reading threads for a month and finally became a member.

Do you use anti-virus apps like Norton or Lookout Security? Do users really need this type of protection or is the case for malware overblown? I recently downloaded avast and it somehow flagged two images I had downloaded off the net as malware and I deleted them. Thanks for the tips and I look forward to reading more on here!
 
I use Avast and Lookout gets very good reviews also. I've heard people say it's a waste of space and a very wise practice to have an anti-virus program on your phone. As for myself, I'm a big believer in Murphy's Law and I'd rather be safe, so I've always had one on my phone no matter what so go with what you're comfortable with.
 
If i use any i use avg i have always trusted it on my computer so i said why not my phone. And with all this virus talk going around i have it installed. Better safe then sorry

Sent from my Galaxy SIII on Rezurrection Rom and OC using Red Xparent Tapatalk 2
 
I use Lookout, mainly because I occasionaly misplace my phone in the house and has an option to make a siren sound so you can find it LOL!
 
@bearballz: lol! I didn't know that. Thanks for the responses so far! Just interested in how you all set up your phones.
 
jackroo said:
@bearballz: lol! I didn't know that. Thanks for the responses so far! Just interested in how you all set up your phones.
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Yeah when you download and install Lookout you just log on to their site and create an account. The free version has a virus scanning option, backup option, and a find my phone option.

There's a premium package that adds a security lockout and a data wipe feature which is around $30.00 a year. I just use the free version since there's nothing all that important on my phone.:D
 
I got Kaspersky for free because I've got a Barclays account. Seems to be pretty effective if you're looking to purchase one.
 
I use Lookout, it works well, scans everything I download, no issues in well over a year on either phone. I recommend it to everyone I sell a Droid to.
 
I use the norton one, I actually pay for there service, It has some good features like the trusted friends list. so if I loose my cell, I can send a text to it via one of my friends cells and lock it, wipe it, locate it. and every 10 minutes it snaps a pic on the front camera and lets you see what it sees. Also if the sim card gets changed you have to enter a password to allow it to work. That to me is a great feature. this way if it gets lost just no one can change the sim and go.

it is 34 bucks a year though, but it like the features it has including anti virus.
 
I used lookout purely for phone location but since the international version has samsung dive for that, no need.

Android runs in a sandboxed environment. Nothing can run without user approval. This means android is very secure. The biggest risk is the market. Fake apps. Always read reviews and permissions and you'll be find.

By the time you've allowed access to a virus I dare say that it's done what its going to do before av identifies it.

These av programmes don't seem to update their definitions. Maybe this is because there aren't really any viruses that require updates. I just don't like this.

I'm also concerned with these infrequent updates, that it won't be updated in time. The window for exposure via the market is small. Bad reviews and Google taking action are quite swift. Once lookout or whoever have learned to detect a specific malicious app, its not on the market any more. Side loading is your main risk.


The lessons are simple.

-Install from trusted sources.
-Read reviews
-Take regular backups of important data (sms etc)

I am in no way saying uninstall your AV. I'm just saying it's pretty useless. If it makes you feel more secure, go for it. If you are happy with the resource overhead, you can't lose.

As an IT professional, I am making an educated decision where I pit my common sense directly against the risk as I am confident enough to do so.
 
I use lookout for phone location, play loud sounds and remote lock and wipe. The anti virus is a secondary for me, I'm pretty sensible about what I do on my phone.
 
Guess you paid for lookout then? Wipe is a paid feature.

When your subscription runs out, consider using samsung dive. It does all that and for free.
 
I use TrustGO Mobile Security, it has warned different times on some apps with unwanted/bad privileges, and potential data leak. So I'm gonna stick with it.
 
SUroot said:
Guess you paid for lookout then? Wipe is a paid feature.

When your subscription runs out, consider using samsung dive. It does all that and for free.
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Just tried this, really easy and exactly what i was looking for. thanks. Never owned a Samsung phone yet never even heard of this.

Much appreciated!
 
SUroot said:
Guess you paid for lookout then? Wipe is a paid feature.

When your subscription runs out, consider using samsung dive. It does all that and for free.
Click to expand...

Get a free trial with Lookout, think it lasts for two weeks.

I'll have a look at Dive cheers.
 
gqtrebor said:
Just tried this, really easy and exactly what i was looking for. thanks. Never owned a Samsung phone yet never even heard of this.

Much appreciated!
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I heard it from Davoid. It offers me exactly what I used to get with WaveSecure and what I could have got with lookout.

I dont like subscriptions. I like 1 off payments that last a lifetime.

Dive is great. Got everything I need and a little more.
 
Thanks for the additional replies! I do always read reviews and permissions before I download anything. SURoot seems to be pretty knowledgeable.
 
For Android (and PC) antimalware test results: AV-TEST - The Independent IT-Security Institute: Android

The best products in our tests (with detection rates of 90% and above) come from the following top 10 companies, listed in alphabetic order: Avast, Dr. Web, F-Secure, Ikarus, Kaspersky, Lookout, McAfee, MYAndroid Protection/MYMobile Security, NQ Mobile/NetQin and Zoner. Users of products made by these companies can be assured that they are protected against malware.
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The detailed report (PDF link on that page) also says what SUroot said about malicious apps generally don't make it to the market and are pulled quickly if they do.

Personally, I use Norton on my PCs but I use avast! on my phones. True that I'll likely never run into malicious logic (even though I root, flash, tinker) but I'm not a gambler either. avast! also has PUP detection (important to me) as well as remote phone locate, lockout, siren, wipe, etc.

If I can get a reputable top-tier, high-performance security app for free, I'll take it (avast! is always free and Norton is free through my ISP).

I also use Lookout and TrustGo's ad detectors for manual scans after installation/updates; its important for me to know which apps give out my phone number so I can uninstall them before having launched them.
 
Google is very, very keen on removing malware from Google Play. It took them awhile to get on the ball with it, but now I rarely see an app that looks suspicious. When you see these reports of "Android malware is on the rise!", you need to look at the author. Typically these people are a representatives of various anti-malware companies. One of Google's Android gurus spoke out about these article writers about a year ago (Google 'Android guru charlatans' and I'm sure you'll find it).

Android Malware largely only exists in countries that do not have access to the paid Google Play store. Primarily China. The Chinese government doesn't allow any of Google's primary services (Google Play or any other apps that are named 'Google') in their country. So they are usually where the most malware exists, because everything has to be side loaded and pirated and there's no quality control. So if you have access to GPlay and read the permissions and reviews, you will not likely ever experience a malware attack on your phone.

So stick with GPlay (or the Amazon App store if you're in the US) and stay away from pirated apps.
 
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