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Best anti-virus

drdoom said:
Check your source next time (all of those are from Kaspersky if you misssed that).
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I don't need to check my source. I've been pulling RSS feeds in my news reader from them for years, and they are quite reputable. Always have been. They don't post anything different than any of the other security or non security news sites.
 
okay, i just got an htc evo shift, most of what i am reading are arguments about what does and doesnt work, i've been told that there are no such things as a virus for android's but when you're able to access an actual website like you do on your computer, the proof is there that you can indeed get a virus, yes everyone should be smart about what they download, where they download it from and the websites they visit. i totally agree, i trust google just as much as everyone else does, i use it on a daily basis for everything, as well as facebook. since i am new to the droid family, i would like to know, what is and isn't the best antivirus protection, the best app killer to make sure my battery lasts as long as possible, right now at 100% it lasts 5 1/2 hours which is okay, i'm used to phones lasting 3 days without having to charge it and that's with calls, texts, facebook, email, etc. my antivirus right now is lookout and i have 2 app killers, close everything and battery dr to save bettery. i am well aware that having these things will decrease battery life, but i like to be protected. so please anyone let me know.
 
kayybiitch said:
okay, i just got an htc evo shift, most of what i am reading are arguments about what does and doesnt work, i've been told that there are no such things as a virus for android's but when you're able to access an actual website like you do on your computer, the proof is there that you can indeed get a virus, yes everyone should be smart about what they download, where they download it from and the websites they visit. i totally agree, i trust google just as much as everyone else does, i use it on a daily basis for everything, as well as facebook. since i am new to the droid family, i would like to know, what is and isn't the best antivirus protection, the best app killer to make sure my battery lasts as long as possible, right now at 100% it lasts 5 1/2 hours which is okay, i'm used to phones lasting 3 days without having to charge it and that's with calls, texts, facebook, email, etc. my antivirus right now is lookout and i have 2 app killers, close everything and battery dr to save bettery. i am well aware that having these things will decrease battery life, but i like to be protected. so please anyone let me know.
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Most of today's android phones only last like a day or two. It all depends on how you use the phone. Playing games, surfing the web, how often you receive notifications for email, social networks, etc. Screen brightness and how many widgets you have on your home screens. If you listen to MP3 or stream music. (It will be different for everybody.) Advanced Task Killer I believe is the best and Lookout for AV.
 
On a platform that can be restored to factory state so quickly and easily I would just take regular backups...
 
Weird thread. Don't know if anything was resolved. Me, I have bitdefender installed but since it tends to hog resources, it's presently frozen through Titanium. It's on ice but if I ever feel I need a scan or some protection in advance of downloading an app, I'll thaw it out and use it per diem. Then it goes back into the freezer. I'm a half-measure kind of guy.
 
I'm using "Zoner AV", only a little over 1mb, extremely fast, and has locate phone. Anytime you download anything it will give you a notification "xxxx is clean". Not sure if I need it since I'm careful about what I download, but I'm rooted and have lots of free space, so what can it hurt? My battery still drains 1% in 12 hours in airplane mode, 1% per hour on wifi in airplane mode, and about 3% per hour on 3G, nothing has changed since I installed Zoner. The locate feature works like all the others, and seems to work well (although no PC online window, you have to rely on SMS commands which can be sent from a PC or another phone).
 
tcat007 said:
I'm using "Zoner AV", only a little over 1mb, extremely fast, and has locate phone. Anytime you download anything it will give you a notification "xxxx is clean". Not sure if I need it since I'm careful about what I download, but I'm rooted and have lots of free space, so what can it hurt? My battery still drains 1% in 12 hours in airplane mode, 1% per hour on wifi in airplane mode, and about 3% per hour on 3G, nothing has changed since I installed Zoner. The locate feature works like all the others, and seems to work well (although no PC online window, you have to rely on SMS commands which can be sent from a PC or another phone).
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Yes, I too am using Zoner AV. Not so much for the VC but the other items it can do. The App Permissions, Phone Filter and Missing Device sections are there and with permissions you can obtain quite a few facts not available through the markets install guide.
 
oortcloud said:
My Lookout has recently detected a malware on my phone. A warning note poped up saying I had malicious software on my phone. It was iLight. I had not downloaded it from the market, BTW. So Lookout offered to uninstall it for me.
I don't know what to make of this though.
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I love how all of you seemed to pass this post up.

While I still stand by my assertation that anti-malware apps are useless to me, at least one person pointed out one instance where it actually did work.

However, if you look at the permissions this app is asking for, it's little wonder why. I have no idea why a flashlight app would need both coarse and fine location, internet access, and access to your phone identity and status. Plus the reviews say it constantly FCs and doesn't work. Reading alostpacket's thread and a little common sense would have prevented that app from being installed in the first place without any intervention from Lookout.

It could also just be very sloppy coding. The author could have been copying and pasting calls and code from other people's work, that would trigger those permissions.
 
My thinking goes like this. Phones are little computers. They're important and we keep confidential info on them. So we don't want them to be infected, hacked or whatever.

Many of us protect our computers with antimalware or security suites, and would like roughly similar protection on our phone. (while recognizing there are tighter limits on cpu, ram & battery)

There appear to be companies in this space: AVG, Lookout, Trend, Norton, etc.

My question is: Are there no 3rd party round-ups of android security software? (a la what PC Magazine does for Windows?)

Personally I'd be very happy with *basic* implentations of the following:
- firewall
- malware scan (to save battery I could forego realtime & run nitely scans)
- safe site monitoring
 
Well, it's a controversial position, but I've basically found so-called "antivirus" to be a placebo (instead of real security) for computers as well, so I definitely find them useless on smartphones, too.
 
Thanks Aysiu, but it doesn't really help me to hear any more from the people who think antivirus software does nothing. I'd rather hear from the people who have similar interests to me and the OP, and have looked into security software for android.

p.s. I can tell you without any doubt that antimalware programs for PC's actually do something positive, not to mention firewalls & safe site filters. This informs my inquiry herein. ;)
 
northbanker said:
My thinking goes like this. Phones are little computers. They're important and we keep confidential info on them. So we don't want them to be infected, hacked or whatever.

Many of us protect our computers with antimalware or security suites, and would like roughly similar protection on our phone. (while recognizing there are tighter limits on cpu, ram & battery)

There appear to be companies in this space: AVG, Lookout, Trend, Norton, etc.

My question is: Are there no 3rd party round-ups of android security software? (a la what PC Magazine does for Windows?)

Personally I'd be very happy with *basic* implentations of the following:
- firewall
- malware scan (to save battery I could forego realtime & run nitely scans)
- safe site monitoring
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Lookout can do this. I have the Premium version, but the free version has were you can set it to scan your phone on a day of the week and time schedule. I have heard people say it is a battery drainer, but I haven't noticed that on my Atrix. You are correct about being cautious.
 
northbanker said:
Thanks Aysiu, but it doesn't really help me to hear any more from the people who think antivirus software does nothing. I'd rather hear from the people who have similar interests to me and the OP, and have looked into security software for android.

p.s. I can tell you without any doubt that antimalware programs for PC's actually do something positive, not to mention firewalls & safe site filters. This informs my inquiry herein. ;)
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Is your PC running linux?
Your phone is.
HUGE difference. Ask Linux people what AV they use if you want an apples to apples comparison.

There is a reason your phone has a sandbox built into the OS. The AV is built right in. ;)
And you have to give it (malware) permission to run, like UAC on a windows machine.
So when that pretty wallpaper says it needs all your contacts and access to your data, a red flag SHOULD go up.
YOU are the best AV for your phone.:D
 
northbanker said:
Thanks Aysiu, but it doesn't really help me to hear any more from the people who think antivirus software does nothing. I'd rather hear from the people who have similar interests to me and the OP, and have looked into security software for android.
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The point they are trying to make is that every single confirmed malware/spyware/whatever you want to call it attack on phones has been by people purposely installing "rogue" apps, random apks, or apps with way too many permissions. It is impossible to just get a "virus" on your phone without you installing it, or installing something that lets it install it.

You could download something from the market today that could be purposely written to steal all your data and no av would do absolutely anything to save you if you accepted the permissions and installed it. As it says in the stay safe guide, why should a checkers game have access to your contact list?
 
AngryHatter said:
Last query - do you wear a condom 24/7? You are wearing AV when there is no threat the AV can counter.
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You made this analogy in another thread which I think it's a little off. You can have a condom with you without using it and wearing it on your dick 24/7. Similarly, you can have an AV installed on your phone and not having it being used 24/7. It's only during times you can be infected (like downloading/installing an app or in your analogy, having sex) that you want it use it for protection.
 
AngryHatter said:
Is your PC running linux?
Your phone is.
HUGE difference. Ask Linux people what AV they use if you want an apples to apples comparison.

There is a reason your phone has a sandbox built into the OS. The AV is built right in. ;)
And you have to give it (malware) permission to run, like UAC on a windows machine.
So when that pretty wallpaper says it needs all your contacts and access to your data, a red flag SHOULD go up.
YOU are the best AV for your phone.:D
Click to expand...

That's a good point about Linux but I think your focus is a little narrower than mine. Yes Linux is less virus prone than Windows for several reasons. But I don't think the issue is solely about viruses or installing apps.

I think you can have your macnine attacked or your private info stolen without installing an app. That's why security suite software tries to filter for outside-in attacks, phishing attempts & known risky websites.

But back to the argument that you are safe if you simply scrutinize the permissions that apps are demanding...

Sure a wallpaper app shouldn't have access to your contacts, but an email-related app would. And some other app might logically request access to your file system, no?

In either case these could be bad apps that want to misuse your device or steal your data. And they could even be from big "trusted" companies... like Sony. ;)

And finally, if you happen to have rooted your phone, doesn't that just decrease Linux's standard protection level.

All in all, it seems smart to have extra security layers, as long as they actually do something and don't overly tax the phone's performance capacity.

... which is what prompted the OP's question and my follow-up about the current crop of security software for android.
 
aysiu said:
The proper analogy is that "antivirus" is a sheepskin (i.e., useless) condom. Common sense is a latex (i.e., useful) condom.
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way to twist the analogy :p

Like I said, I can use common sense and run an antivirus on my phone at the same time. Even if the antivirus is as useless as you claim (which I don't think it is) and it doesn't detect anything. Then I would be no worse off than just having my common sense.

Security doesn't have to be either or, like using a sheepskin condom or a latex condom. You can employ a combination of methods to secure yourself. To me that is just common sense
 
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