Do I really need anti-virus for Android phone?

[Eugene F.]

Hi,

AVG provides a free application for Android that have good reviews. But do I really need it?

How much Android (as off-shot of Linux at least at its core) is prone to malware?

TIA, Eugene

 

[Bear Bottoms]

Hi,

AVG provides a free application for Android that have good reviews.
But do I really need it?

How much Android (as off-shot of Linux at least at its core) is prone
to malware?

TIA, Eugene

Yes you should utilize an antimalware program with Android phones.

 

[FromTheRafters]

Hi,

AVG provides a free application for Android that have good reviews. But do I really need it?

How much Android (as off-shot of Linux at least at its core) is prone to malware?

I don't think it matters much what OS these devices use.
There are so many of them that it is fertile ground for
emerging malware.

 

[Bear Bottoms]

I don't think it matters much what OS these devices use.
There are so many of them that it is fertile ground for
emerging malware.

Yep. If Linux were on more than 1% of the desktops, you would see just as
many them as for winders.

 

[FromTheRafters]

Yep. If Linux were on more than 1% of the desktops, you would see just as
many them as for winders.

I don't know about 'just as many', but I know what you mean. One reason
for departure on this minor point is that Windows is pretty homogeneous
- if you're running Windows a malware writer can make certain
assumptions about your environment/applications/utilities. Linux is much
less homogeneous so fewer assumptions can be made.

 

[Bear Bottoms]

I don't know about 'just as many', but I know what you mean. One
reason for departure on this minor point is that Windows is pretty
homogeneous - if you're running Windows a malware writer can make
certain assumptions about your environment/applications/utilities.
Linux is much less homogeneous so fewer assumptions can be made.

Yes plus the fact that root has been much more protected with Linux than
winders for a long time...still is better than UAC kinda but at least
UAC is the step in the right direction IMO.

--
Bear
http://bearware.info
The real Bear's header path is:
news.sunsite.dk!dotsrc.org!filter.dotsrc.org!news.dotsrc.org!not-for-
mail

 

[Eugene F.]

Dave,

Thank you very much for the response.

I've realized that I made my question too broad in scope. Let me narrow it down to my particular situation.

I get my Android apps from the Market only. I download only ones that have tons of users and good reviews. I believe it's unlikely that I would install a malicious by design application.

So, my question is: How likely to meet an Android application that acquired its malicious payload (got infected) without its authors knowledge? Not a Trojan but virus infection?

TIA, Eugene

=========================================================================

 

[David H. Lipman]

Dave,

Thank you very much for the response.

I've realized that I made my question too broad in scope. Let me narrow it down to my
particular situation.

I get my Android apps from the Market only. I download only ones that have tons of
users
and good reviews. I believe it's unlikely that I would install a malicious by design
application.

So, my question is: How likely to meet an Android application that acquired its
malicious
payload (got infected) without its authors knowledge? Not a Trojan but virus infection?

TIA, Eugene

Personally I don't touch cell phones so that isn't my arena but if it is a smartphone and
you can browse the Internet then there's the possibility of any kind of malicious
software.

 

[FromTheRafters]

Dave,

Thank you very much for the response.

I've realized that I made my question too broad in
scope. Let me narrow it down to my particular situation.

I get my Android apps from the Market only. I download
only ones that have tons of users and good reviews.
I believe it's unlikely that I would install a malicious
by design application.

So, the classic trojan vector is practically a non-starter, but there
are other non-viral vectors besides the classic trojan.

So, my question is: How likely to meet an Android
application that acquired its malicious payload (got
infected) without its authors knowledge? Not a Trojan
but virus infection?

Good question, I think viruses are much less likely than
some other forms of malware. However, antivirus programs
can be helpful in detecting non-viral malware that may
gain entry through a vulnerability in said application.

A very good percentage of attacks are against application
software that has tons of users and good reviews.)