Database Users

Antivirus App for the Vibrant?

As I was searching for something in the market place I ran across an Antivirus app:
Antivirus (Free version)
Antivirus ($9.99)
The Antivirus Pro (paid version) provides ongoing scanning of Android device, protecting against viruses, malware, OS exploits to ensure the integrity of applications and data. + Additional services for identifying phone location, using 'findR' to find lost or stolen devices based on GPS and cell tower ID.
In addition to the paid version, the free version scans mp3's, zip files, sd card's and has behavior mobile security.
I'm using the free version now and am debating if I should buy the full version.
Made by: droidSecurity Inc.
Anyone else using the paid version? If so, how is it working out for you? Recommended?

iunlock said:
As I was searching for something in the market place I ran across an Antivirus app:
Antivirus (Free version)
Antivirus ($9.99)
The Antivirus Pro (paid version) provides ongoing scanning of Android device, protecting against viruses, malware, OS exploits to ensure the integrity of applications and data. + Additional services for identifying phone location, using 'findR' to find lost or stolen devices based on GPS and cell tower ID.
In addition to the paid version, the free version scans mp3's, zip files, sd card's and has behavior mobile security.
I'm using the free version now and am debating if I should buy the full version.
Made by: droidSecurity Inc.
Anyone else using the paid version? If so, how is it working out for you? Recommended?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's another app called Lookout Mobile Security FREE that has darn near 5 star rating. It does pretty much what the paid version does of the Antivirus app above for $9.99, except that it's free.
It says, Winner of the Best Android App 2010...
It also has Phone Finder...which comes FREE with this App...
hhmmm

nope I've been using Lookout. Seems nice

There are viruses on Android? That's news to me. I mean, fake programs that steal your data, yeah, but viruses?

MMcCraryNJ said:
There are viruses on Android? That's news to me. I mean, fake programs that steal your data, yeah, but viruses?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha it's all new to me too my friend...My initial reaction was, "Anti What? For Android?!"
I was so used to communist apple OS, being an iPhone user before where the word 'virus' was never in my vocabulary.
I'm going to try LookOut...heck it's Freeee

My opinion, don't waste your time with this man. Just uses resources of your phone.
I DO suggest lookout though. It is amazing to log into a website and find my phone (works pretty dang well), OR if you lose the phone in the house you can make it ring really loud.
With this app you also get AV and the ability to backup data to their server. I do not use the latter (you can disable features easily). But I have left on the AV for kicks and giggles.
I have NEVER heard of a virus on android, haha.

s15274n said:
My opinion, don't waste your time with this man. Just uses resources of your phone.
I DO suggest lookout though. It is amazing to log into a website and find my phone (works pretty dang well), OR if you lose the phone in the house you can make it ring really loud.
With this app you also get AV and the ability to backup data to their server. I do not use the latter (you can disable features easily). But I have left on the AV for kicks and giggles.
I have NEVER heard of a virus on android, haha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using LookOut now...much better program it seems than the other one. The phone location feature is pretty neat too.

As long as you actually consider the permissions when installing apps and don't grant root access to some unknown app, antivirus is COMPLETELY unnecessary.

Android viruses

Hi everyone,
I see there are plenty of antiviruses for the android. Is viruses for the android very common? (Ie. Like windows virus is much more rampant vs macintosh?) What kind of precaution should we take to prevent our gadgets from being affected? (Ie. Downloading apps from untrusted sources? Via sms/email?) Is it really necessary to install an antivirus? If so, what is recommended?
Thank you!
Sent from my HTC Liberty using XDA App

manojsuper said:
I wouldn't get a virus scanner if I were you...they are pointless because the android system is possibly the most secure system in completion with the RIM Blackberry! Just make sure that every time you download an application that you are aware of the "permissions" that you are giving it and you should not get a virus anytime soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is it the most secure system? There are apps out there that access things that they don't need to access, i'll give you a few examples:
Applications that I have installed that can track my location:
Alchemy
IMDb
Why would a GAME such as Alchemy NEED to track my location? Why would IMDb need to track my location?
Apps that can read my mobile number, serial number or other data:
Alchemy
Unblock Me Free
These apps listed are only apps that I don't see them needing to access what they have the ability to access. How many people do you think have alchemy and IMDb installed? It would be so so SO easy for someone to write a malicious app that looks legit..that's just my 2 cents...not saying it doesn't exist not saying it does...
Also, only reason I have an antivirus app is because I have lookout installed and the only reason I installed that is so if I lose my phone i can lock it remotely and wipe it if needed.

Is DroidWall still the best firewall for Android?

Traditionally, I have always considered DroidWall the best firewall for Android. But it hasn't been touched in two years.
I use it in Blacklist mode, and I like that apps that have been installed since you last went into the app show at the top of the list.
Is it still considered the best, or is there something better, at this point?

Haphim said:
Traditionally, I have always considered DroidWall the best firewall for Android. But it hasn't been touched in two years.
I use it in Blacklist mode, and I like that apps that have been installed since you last went into the app show at the top of the list.
Is it still considered the best, or is there something better, at this point?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't really see to much of a reason to use a firewall. Antivirus apps like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, etc. are (in my own opinion) good enough for anything you do on the phone, although there is a lot that can get past it. On another note, I have yet to see an app that truly protects against ARP poisoning. I have tried some paid versions of the apps, but that is something that is very hard to stop and again, in my own opinion, I think it's just a goofy app wasting RAM.

Alright, well to clarify, one major purpose that I use it for is to prevent apps from calling home without my knowledge. So if nothing else, I use it for that functionality.

Haphim said:
Alright, well to clarify, one major purpose that I use it for is to prevent apps from calling home without my knowledge. So if nothing else, I use it for that functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's cool. I would stick to it just because you're familiar with it. I don't think firewalls are that popular right now but I have been wrong before.

Okay, fair enough. Thanks!

Hi, Is there a purpose for a firewall? I mean I know what it does on a PC but I have never had any viruses or hacking happen to me on any of my android devices. Do you suggest it is a must for android users? Thank you

sg3love said:
Hi, Is there a purpose for a firewall? I mean I know what it does on a PC but I have never had any viruses or hacking happen to me on any of my android devices. Do you suggest it is a must for android users? Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If for no other reason, it's important to keep apps from calling home when they have no business doing so. So many apps ask for permissions far beyond what they should, and an outgoing firewall is vital to making sure that any information those apps may grab never leave your phone.

Haphim said:
If for no other reason, it's important to keep apps from calling home when they have no business doing so. So many apps ask for permissions far beyond what they should, and an outgoing firewall is vital to making sure that any information those apps may grab never leave your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most definitely! There are other programs (can't think off the top of my head, but will post if I remember) that can modify permissions for all the apps you have. I would think it would be more reliable than a firewall.

agent929 said:
Most definitely! There are other programs (can't think off the top of my head, but will post if I remember) that can modify permissions for all the apps you have. I would think it would be more reliable than a firewall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, not. If an app doesn't have all the permissions the developer intended, there's a decent chance it will crash or otherwise malfunction.
On the other hand, blocking external access is almost always handled gracefully - and it's only a problem for apps whose main function requires net access (like a browser).

Haphim said:
Unfortunately, not. If an app doesn't have all the permissions the developer intended, there's a decent chance it will crash or otherwise malfunction.
On the other hand, blocking external access is almost always handled gracefully - and it's only a problem for apps whose main function requires net access (like a browser).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never thought of it that way, but you are right about the app crashing. It will more than likely keep trying to connect to stuff and ultimately crash.

agent929 said:
I don't really see to much of a reason to use a firewall. Antivirus apps like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, etc. are (in my own opinion) good enough for anything you do on the phone, although there is a lot that can get past it. On another note, I have yet to see an app that truly protects against ARP poisoning. I have tried some paid versions of the apps, but that is something that is very hard to stop and again, in my own opinion, I think it's just a goofy app wasting RAM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agent929 said:
Most definitely! There are other programs (can't think off the top of my head, but will post if I remember) that can modify permissions for all the apps you have. I would think it would be more reliable than a firewall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From a noob perspective.. It was suggested that a firewall is a 'goofy app wasting RAM'... Advice in many threads is that android anti virus doesnt seem much point if you stay away from dodgy paid app for free apk .. an uneducated guess would be that an anti virus would be more resource hungry than a firewall.. (and think of your battery)
The app that you couldnt think of maybe the 'framework' app called 'xprivacy''

Antivirus apps aren't constantly running. They only scan when you install an apk or when you set it to do so otherwise. It is not a resource hog.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk 5

Wow im such a noob, I had no idea apps call home! firewall it is ! So that's how I randomly get people calling and leaving ridiculous voice mails, Thanks!

Hacks? Word Arounds? Black Magic?

Hey all,
So, I was issued an S5 for work (on Big Red), and I had a couple of questions and needed some...expert...advice...
My company nerfed the phone pretty bad. They disabled almost all of the pre-installed apps (Amazon, Gmail, Flipboard). They also use a whitelist to only allow certain apps to be installed. Everything else installs, then is immediately uninstalled "by IT policy". For a while, I figured out how to delete the admin policies and install whatever I wanted (we use Knox for enterprise stuff, and I don't mess with that; just the "personal" side, which isn't so personal anymore). Some of the apps they let you install are silly (Candy Crush? Really?) but I can't install Timley or something useful.
Is there a way to Trojan horse an app? It seems that the policy checks the app against the white list and lets it install if it's cool, removes it if it isn't. Can I somehow rename and sideload an app to one on the list? I don't want to hack the phone, per se, just use it (Flipboard can't be installed, but CNN, NBC News, USA Today, etc all can). Or is the admin policy too advanced on Android now?
Thanks in advance...

ret4425 said:
Hey all,
So, I was issued an S5 for work (on Big Red), and I had a couple of questions and needed some...expert...advice...
My company nerfed the phone pretty bad. They disabled almost all of the pre-installed apps (Amazon, Gmail, Flipboard). They also use a whitelist to only allow certain apps to be installed. Everything else installs, then is immediately uninstalled "by IT policy". For a while, I figured out how to delete the admin policies and install whatever I wanted (we use Knox for enterprise stuff, and I don't mess with that; just the "personal" side, which isn't so personal anymore). Some of the apps they let you install are silly (Candy Crush? Really?) but I can't install Timley or something useful.
Is there a way to Trojan horse an app? It seems that the policy checks the app against the white list and lets it install if it's cool, removes it if it isn't. Can I somehow rename and sideload an app to one on the list? I don't want to hack the phone, per se, just use it (Flipboard can't be installed, but CNN, NBC News, USA Today, etc all can). Or is the admin policy too advanced on Android now?
Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If Timley (did you mean Timely?) is a useful app and helps with your job to boot then I would suggest that you try talking to someone in the IT department about having it added to the whitelist. I would expect that any company which goes to this lengths to keep your phone secure will have the phone verify the md5 checksums of certain files. The Apps won't be added instantly to the whitelist, but after the IT department has had time to verify that the app is secure then they will probably add it.

Kaliaila said:
If Timley (did you mean Timely?) is a useful app and helps with your job to boot then I would suggest that you try talking to someone in the IT department about having it added to the whitelist. I would expect that any company which goes to this lengths to keep your phone secure will have the phone verify the md5 checksums of certain files. The Apps won't be added instantly to the whitelist, but after the IT department has had time to verify that the app is secure then they will probably add it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn the md5. Damn them to Hell...
If only my IT department were so benevolent.

[Q] Silly question, but if...

Silly question, but if our phone cannot be rooted, or access gained via an infection through a clicked on link/downloaded apk.. can our phones catch a virus and have things stolen from us without our knowing? Mostly asking because I always thought rooting a phone was essentially the same thing thing as infecting it. It's a silly question to me mostly because I know little about how the whole scheme of things work when talking about virus infections on a phone. But it's still something I just started to think about since our phone has yet to be rooted. Does this make sense to anyone else what I'm asking? And if so, please, if you can, explain if these phones can catch a virus/infection.

I personally don't use a anti virus. For my it's just a resource eater. But I am always on stock with no root. Maybe when you start downloading apps from unknown sources and install them you can be infected with some nasty things.
Sent from my SM-N910F using XDA Free mobile app

the only real danger is Trojans, virusses that disguise themselves as legitimate apps.
but these are actively scanned for by bouncer on the googe play store servers, and by the Google play services on your phone.
you can protect yourself against them with an antivirus, but it isn't really necessary unless you frequently make use of pirated apps or 3rd party app stores.
these trojans also won't be able to do too much unless you root and give them root access(don't pirate root apps, don't give pirated apps root access)
they can't retrieve more than you allow them.
and rooting typically happens through what could be considered a virus, except that what you install isn't malicious.
1 click root solutions act like trojans by showing as legitimate apps to the system.
flashable root solutions often behave more like rootkits, installing themselves in the bootloader or recovery partitions to automatically re-root the device after an update.
neither are a risk on the note 4 since 1 click root exploits don't work right now, and flashable root methods require some very specific user actions(reboot to download mode, flash with odin)
if you're still worried about security you can enable active knox protection.