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Is Mobile Security / Antivirus required?

Matrix Leader

Matrix Leader

Android Enthusiast
Is it really required or is it overkill?

I found avast mobile security (free) and was wondering if you really need an antivirus on an Android (I have the S3) or would it slow my phone down?
 
Folks are drawn on this. I have had Lookout for the last 2 years on my Incredible and not really had any issues with it.

I'm pretty careful about what I download anyway but figure it's an extra layer of protection that doesn't seem to cost me anything.

Lookout was one if the 7 or so apps that did the best for malware protection. Can't remember where I read that though.

Other people swear you don't need anything.

I'm a little paranoid so figured why not. YMMV.
 
Rachel_Ambler said:
Folks are drawn on this. I have had Lookout for the last 2 years on my Incredible and not really had any issues with it.

I'm pretty careful about what I download anyway but figure it's an extra layer of protection that doesn't seem to cost me anything.

Lookout was one if the 7 or so apps that did the best for malware protection. Can't remember where I read that though.

Other people swear you don't need anything.

I'm a little paranoid so figured why not. YMMV.
Click to expand...
what about performance? do you notice your handset lagging?
 
I have moments where it lags, but then again it's a 2.5 yo phone running FroYo with Go Launcher (a known memory hog in its own right) with about 8 widgets spread across 7 home screens... So I'd expect an element of lag given all that.

Not had anything noticeable when it does scans etc.

By and large I'm pretty happy with the performance. And the price (free) is right. It also has a pretty effective lost phone feature. They have premium features that I tried out but didn't continue beyond the trial period.
 
There have been numerous apps pulled from the play store due to malware.
I know lots of people will say read the permissions before you download and you'll be safe, but it has been proven that the dev's that write malicious code can get around the permissions.

As to the performance, I guess that's up to the processing power of the device first.
I ran lookout security for quite a while. Most everyone said that it took up too much CPU.
I found that to be untrue. I had lookout running and would run the top command from the terminal. Lookout was always at the bottom of the list with regard to CPU utilization.

That said, I still don't think it is a requirement to have the software, but it doesn't hurt either.
 
I installed Avast for android. Later on an app I tried to install it objected saying it was malware, unfortunately I cant remember what it was, but when I looked elsewhere there was a lot of complaints about that particular app.

Also Avast comes with a pretty good set of anti theft features.

AngryHatter said:
No, not needed as linux runs apps a) only after you have agreed to allow the app to run and b) they run in a sandbox which keeps the OS in a separate area, unaffected.
Click to expand...

I'm of the opinion anyone who reckons they are safe from malicious code is just asking for trouble, after all, everything is only code. Apple was telling everyone it was impossible to get a virus until loads of peeps got viruses, they dont say that any more.
 
For all the FUD the tech "news" likes to put forth about Android malware on the rise or going up 400% or whatnot, I still have not read of a single case of malware on Android that didn't involve a user actively choosing to install the malware on her or his Android phone.

Malware doesn't and has never magically appeared on Android phones without user intervention. More importantly, if such malware did suddenly appear, there's no way that having "antivirus" installed would prevent such an attack.

If you want to protect your phone, use common sense. More details here:
http://androidforums.com/android-ap...explained-security-tips-avoiding-malware.html
 
aysiu said:
For all the FUD the tech "news" likes to put forth about Android malware on the rise or going up 400% or whatnot, I still have not read of a single case of malware on Android that didn't involve a user actively choosing to install the malware on her or his Android phone.

Malware doesn't and has never magically appeared on Android phones without user intervention. More importantly, if such malware did suddenly appear, there's no way that having "antivirus" installed would prevent such an attack.

If you want to protect your phone, use common sense. More details here:
http://androidforums.com/android-ap...explained-security-tips-avoiding-malware.html
Click to expand...

Yes, the user has to install the app, that isn't the debate.
Yes, you can read the permissions and decide what to install, but as previously stated, it has been proven that the permissions are not always listed correctly. Therefore you can read the permissions all you want, but if they don't show everything it doesn't help.
 
I keep lookout mainly for the lost phone feature. The anti-virus is just a perk of the product to me.
And it causes no lags (at least not on my 1.5GHz S2).
 
pool_shark said:
Yes, the user has to install the app, that isn't the debate.
Yes, you can read the permissions and decide what to install, but as previously stated, it has been proven that the permissions are not always listed correctly. Therefore you can read the permissions all you want, but if they don't show everything it doesn't help.
Click to expand...

Reading permissions isn't the only tip. Read the link for more details, as I said before. Also, more importantly, so-called "antivirus" does not protect you.
 
If you're someone who regularly clicks on those 'You have won a trip to the bahamas' emails then yes u need antivirus.

If u have something like a galaxy s3 you wont notice any or will get a negligible performance drop.

Firewalls on the other hand are useful since almost every app wants to connect to the internet and that can get expensive when using data package.

i personally use droidwall without antivirus but avast is also top rated app.
 
I think anti-virus apps don't protect much more than good old-fashioned common sense. Downloading apps with the words "busty" or "hotties" is should be avoided.
 
May not be required as the most android users are safe from malware. Most virus occur when you download apk's from the untrusted sources. To avoid the virus attack download the apps from the official Google Play Store.
 
colmmcgrath said:
May not be required as the most android users are safe from malware. Most virus occur when you download apk's from the untrusted sources. To avoid the virus attack download the apps from the official Google Play Store.
Click to expand...
This is not true. Most Android malware (there are no "virus attack" on Android) does come from untrusted sources but occasionally it also sneaks on to Google Play before Google has a chance to yank it, so don't just blindly install from Google Play. Use common sense.
 
Just to point out that I've not had a single Virus on any of my 5 PCs in over three years. That said I wouldn't think for an instant on not putting AV software on them directly after the OS.

Just because it hasn't happened doesn't mean it can't or won't.
 
Generally speaking, malware doesn't just magically appear on your PC. And if some new exploit does magically appear (zero day), having "antivirus" software installed doesn't magically protect you.
 
Not just software installs. There are numerous attack vectors, emails being one of them. I don't think you'll find many companies out there that would be happy having a PC on their network without some sort of AV.

Not saying it is a magic pill just that if it is available and it doesn't cause any problems of any sort and it might catch you just when you need it...
 
Not one AV ap has ever found malware before the community discovered it.
And as to things removed from Google Play - they also remove apps THEY deem harmful to them, not necessarily you.
I had one ap (App Shield)that allowed you to modify other apks to run without ads - removed by Google since they pointed out a nefarious person could exploit the resultant apk. (duh)
 
I have been using Android for 3 years and have never had a infection. I do play it pretty safe buy only downloading apps from the play store and only surfing web sites that have a good reputation.
 
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