Tech-Friendly: Android smartphone antivirus protection
By Paul Gorski
Do you need an antivirus program for your Android OS-based smartphone? Maybe. Before you download an AV program for that phone of yours, follow these basic guidelines: 1) only download apps from the Google Play Store, 2) be wary even of apps at the Google Play Store, and 3) upgrade to the most current version of Android OS that your device will support, without breaking normal Android security. Follow these precautions, and you’ll be pretty safe.
You will find “technical” articles implying that you need an AV app for your Android smartphone. For example: “Russia’s Massive Android Malware Industry Revealed” (http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/mobile-security/314386-russia-s-massive-android-malware-industry-revealed) and “Android Malware Genome Project” (http://www.malgenomeproject.org/).
Then, you have security experts who lean toward not installing AV apps on Android devices, “RSA: Do You Need Mobile Anti-Virus?” (http://www.esecurityplanet.com/mobile-security/rsa-do-you-need-mobile-anti-virus.html).
You’ll also find articles that report that Android AV apps simply don’t work, including: “Most Android anti-virus products don’t work, tests find” (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/46644153/ns/technology_and_science-security/t/most-android-anti-virus-products-dont-work-tests-find/#.Uf_Xa-BK1Rh).
Do you need an antivirus program for your Android OS-based smartphone? Maybe. Before you download an AV program for that phone of yours, follow these basic guidelines: 1) only download apps from the Google Play Store, 2) be wary even of apps at the Google Play Store, and 3) upgrade to the most current version of Android OS that your device will support, without breaking normal Android security. Follow these precautions, and you’ll be pretty safe.
You will find “technical” articles implying that you need an AV app for your Android smartphone. For example: “Russia’s Massive Android Malware Industry Revealed” (http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/mobile-security/314386-russia-s-massive-android-malware-industry-revealed) and “Android Malware Genome Project” (http://www.malgenomeproject.org/).
Then, you have security experts who lean toward not installing AV apps on Android devices, “RSA: Do You Need Mobile Anti-Virus?” (http://www.esecurityplanet.com/mobile-security/rsa-do-you-need-mobile-anti-virus.html).
You’ll also find articles that report that Android AV apps simply don’t work, including: “Most Android anti-virus products don’t work, tests find” (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/46644153/ns/technology_and_science-security/t/most-android-anti-virus-products-dont-work-tests-find/#.Uf_Xa-BK1Rh).
Read the entire article at The Rock River Times website: http://rockrivertimes.com/2013/08/07/tech-friendly-android-smartphone-antivirus-protection/.