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Root Are we in danger?! o_O

No, you do not need to be worried as long as you only download from google play or amazon. Malware is so overplayed on android when really there isn't a problem at all. Most malware is found from Chinese websites. Don't waste your phones resources on running a pointless antivirus that will do nothing.
 
Just don't install anything funny or anything that pops up on its own like a security update!!! If there was such a thing we would hear about it long before it comes


I agree with koopakid Antivirus is a waste it'll probably tell you that the wifi tether app is malicious
 
Hmm, the company that did the study was SophosLabs...
Sophos does have a free anti-malware program for Android users.
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I am suspicious of any study done by someone (or some company) that has a stake in getting me to take action because of it.


Aside from all of that, the best thing you can do (besides avoiding pirating apps) to prevent bad things from happening to your phone is to understand and know what permissions the apps are asking for. Then not installing apps with suspicious permissions. Here is a good guide to read up on all of this: http://androidforums.com/android-applications/36936-android-permissions-explained-security-tips-avoiding-malware.html.
 
I grabbed a tron light bikes game from the play store that included some advertising nonsense. I would get notifications that were just ads, with a link to a website. At first I didn't know where they were coming from, so I read a little and saw something called airpush, which is what's creating the ads. Then I found an app called AirPush detector, which identified my tron app as the culprit. Turns out it was just a copy of another tron game, with airpush added. I got rid of it and grabbed the other version of the tron game, no more ads. That's about the worst I've seen.
 
Also note that the article does not identify the region in which most malware is found. The Chinese government does not permit Google Play in their country, so the Chinese are forced to use third party app stores. Which, as I hear, are filled with malware and are where these surveys get their info from. The article semi-confirms this.

There are now more than 460,000 apps in the Google Play market for Android, according to AppBrain, although there are other sources for downloading Android apps. And it is those other sources than can cause trouble.
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It's kinda funny how they tell you in their own article how their survey is completely irrelevant to most Android users (notice how the article is titled "Android" and not "Google Play").

Google constantly is scanning apps for malware on GPlay. So read ALP's malware thread that AC13 linked and you'll be fine so long as you stay on GPlay (or Amazon).
 
swerver32 said:
I grabbed a tron light bikes game from the play store that included some advertising nonsense. I would get notifications that were just ads, with a link to a website. At first I didn't know where they were coming from, so I read a little and saw something called airpush, which is what's creating the ads. Then I found an app called AirPush detector, which identified my tron app as the culprit. Turns out it was just a copy of another tron game, with airpush added. I got rid of it and grabbed the other version of the tron game, no more ads. That's about the worst I've seen.
Click to expand...

That isn't malware It's just intrusive advertisement.
 
your more in danger from sticking 2 wires on your battery pos/negs and shorting it out and causing a fire than you are getting a virus on android if you follow safe channels/safe computing practices.
 
In the past a malware infected app has made its way onto Play Store but not very likely. I wouldn't worry too much. I keep Avast for Android installed and running only because I get apps sometimes from various websites or torrents which can be risky.
 
I have always used Lookout, one because sometimes I hang out on the wrong side of the tracks on the net and also for it's remote location and wipe capabilities.
 
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