Android smartphones and tablets are essentially portable computing devices. It means that it’s very possible to develop and distribute malware, virus and spyware. It is important for users to keep those malicious codes off their Android gadgets. There are cases that malicious apps have been found in the Google Play Store. Google essentially has less stringent filtering procedure and this makes it easier for bad developers to distribute their infected apps. In general, there are apps that make us leery of downloading them, by only looking at their names. As an example, apps that contain the word “sexy” and typos could indicate poor quality.
However, it is very possible that a malware-ridden app looks quite legitimate with good interface and interesting text. It is important to be aware that Android malware can be quite dangerous. This is particularly true if these apps require root access. There are many things that malware could do:
- Send text messages to specific service that costs us money
- Record instant messaging and text messages
- Record all passwords typed in the smartphone
- Distribute malicious email messages to people in the contact
- Redirect the web browser to questionable websites
- Use Android device as botnets to overwhelm target websites
- Locate users’ location by quietly enabling the GPS feature
So, it is quite clear that malware can be dangerous for us. There are different ways Android users can choose to keep themselves free from malware infestation. In general, it is important
There are a few steps that we can do to prevent malware infestation. The most important thing to do is be particularly careful when it comes to installing specific apps. We could consider a few things when we plan to look for a new app. As an example, how many times has an app been downloaded by users. We could check user reviews in Google Play store and determine whether they are satisfied with it. If millions of users are satisfied with an app, then we could consider it as safe. It is also a good idea to install apps only from trusted developers. Other than Google itself, there are also other developers and publishers that we can trust.
New developers could be quite questionable and it is a good idea to visit the developer’s website. In this case, we need to be sure that the website looks legit. We should be aware that apps could require different permissions. We should check the permission label and see whether there’s something inappropriate about the app. As an example, an app could be somewhat too aggressive and we should consider whether it is necessary for a lightweight game needs to check our location through GPS. If there’s something irrelevant about an app, then we may need to skip it. It is a good idea to install proper antivirus apps from trusted developers. These apps should be updated frequently to effectively detect untrustworthy malware and virus.
