Hello admin! Interested questions: how to check your phone for viruses in the Android operating system? Do I need to install a standard antivirus on my phone for this, or maybe what antivirus scanners are there? While on the Internet, how can you avoid getting infected by a virus without an antivirus installed?
I’m asking because I already had a virus on my phone, once I was on the subway and browsing some Internet sites from my phone, one site offered to download and update Adobe Flash Player and I updated, after that within a day 400 rubles were debited from my phone account. My phone was cleaned at the service center for the same amount and my question was: should I install an antivirus on my phone? They shrugged their shoulders and said as you wish. They can also be understood, because if I install an antivirus on my phone, then I will no longer have to contact them and pay money.
So the media is increasingly talking about the growing number of malicious software written specifically for Android. Viruses are mentioned that can steal the personal information of the phone owner and send it to a remote server, and much more. Personally, I carry out a lot of payment transactions using my phone and actively use electronic WebMoney wallets and Yandex.Money. So, what do you recommend? Thanks in advance for your answer!
How to check your phone for viruses
Hello friends! In this article, I will tell you about something that webmasters usually don’t talk about, namely, how and why sites on the Internet are infected with malicious code; accordingly, by visiting such a site, you infect your phone with a virus. At first I didn’t want to tell you everything, so as not to scare you, but then I decided why shouldn’t my readers know everything that I know!
You will also learn about the consequences of a phone virus infection and of course I will tell you how this can be avoided. The article provides real examples from life.
In the second part of the article, we will choose an antivirus for our phone, find out how to download it, install it and how to work with it. Let's consider antiviruses for mobile devices Dr.Web Mobile Security, ESET NOD32 Mobile Security, Kaspersky Internet Security for Android.
How does a website become infected with malware?
It's no secret that many websites on the Internet are built on ready-made engines, such as WordPress, DLE, Joomla, and so on. Security updates are constantly being released for these engines and they need to be installed in a timely manner. But many webmasters are in no hurry to do this, I’ll even say this: a large number of sites on the network are simply abandoned and their owners go to best case scenario once a month! Why does this happen? The very first reason is banal - the site did not live up to expectations, well, it is not possible to attract a large number of visitors to it, as a result, disappointment and the webmaster switches to something else, and the site is likened to a ship abandoned on the high seas of the Internet.
These are the sites that become the prey of virus writers. Through simple manipulations, a shell is uploaded to such a site (a malicious script, with the help of which attackers gain full control over the site), then malicious code is inserted into all pages of the site, once on such a site, you can infect as simple as computer and telephone.
But scammers consider it a great success to upload a shell to a popular site with huge traffic, where incomparably more mobile devices can be infected. By the way, the site owner may not even realize that his site is distributing malicious code, since this code can only work if the infected site is accessed from a mobile device running on Android. Many webmasters work with their sites from a simple computer or laptop and never access from a mobile device, so they do not know that their site is infected.
One webmaster I know complained to me that many users cannot access his site from their phone; instead of the site, a picture appears with a proposal to update Adobe Flash Player; after updating Flash, part of the money is withdrawn from the phone. In short, it became clear that there was a virus running on the site. I have a smartphone on Windows Phone 8 and I calmly went to its website. A friend also has a smartphone with Windows and he easily accessed the site from his phone. Why can’t others log in and are asked to download some Player?
We decided to check all site files for the presence of malicious code. After some searching, we found what we were looking for. In this screenshot you can see the contents of the malicious code of one file of the infected site. As you can see, the virus writer has prescribed which mobile devices will be infected with the virus when visiting this site; among mobile operating systems, Android is in first place. I want to say that finding such code among the heaps of files that make up the site is quite difficult.
This means that if we access the site from an Android smartphone, malicious code will work and redirect us to a virus site, where we will be offered to download a virus under the guise of Adobe Flash Player.
If you access the site from a smartphone on Windows Phone, then there will be no redirection and we can easily access the site.
We restored the site from a backup and double-checked the site files, then changed the database password and the problems disappeared.
How to install free antiviruses ESET NOD32 Mobile Security and Dr.Web Mobile Security on your phone
The number is growing real stories about various telephone viruses that can steal or delete data on the phone, withdraw money from an account, send paid SMS, and so on. It’s not surprising, last years The phone has turned into a mini-computer, which, moreover, is constantly with us. Modern man never leaves his phone at all, and most importantly, with the help of the phone we manage our money, and where there is money, there are viruses! It's simple.
The first phone virus
In 2004, I was shown a curiosity on a Nokia phone that had arrived from abroad, a worm called Cabir, which infected mobile phones running only on Symbian, I then thought, well, gentlemen, virus writers have gotten to phones!
How did Cabir behave on the phone? If you turned on the phone, the word “Caribe” appeared on the screen, followed by an attempt to infect other phones via wireless network Bluetooth.
Since then and until today, a huge number of viruses have appeared for mobile devices and are by no means as harmless as good old Cabir.
Android is a free OS for mobile devices
What can we say about the OS for Android mobile devices? This is the most popular system for mobile devices. Leading smartphone manufacturers use this operating system on their devices. Accordingly, a large number of virus programs are written specifically for it, and there is nothing surprising here.
Any operating system cannot be absolutely safe, this also applies to Android.
Today you can infect your phone with the following malware:
2) Trojan program sending SMS. When infected with this Trojan virus, paid SMS messages will be sent from your phone.
3) Spyware. These more serious malware monitor user actions and steal confidential data: logins, passwords, addresses, and so on. After being infected with such a virus, the next day you will prove on the Odnoklassniki website that today it was you, but yesterday it was not you and it was not you who asked everyone for money, but someone else.
How to protect yourself from mobile viruses
It’s very simple, we need to connect our heads to what we are doing on the Internet all the time!
When visiting Internet pages, never pay attention to messages like “Urgently update your system”, “Your computer is infected”, “Click on the virus cleaning button”.
Skip the offers to download the new Skype, Flash Player, ignore the advice to update your smartphone’s browser or any program, check your phone for viruses for free, or remove existing viruses on your phone!
Never install third-party firmware on your phone.
Cases from life
Another friend decided to independently install an unfamiliar antivirus program on his phone and installed some exotic antivirus, after which the phone began sending paid SMS.
The third case will prove to you that sometimes a person can be deceived even without any viruses.
My classmate decided to buy air tickets, as a result he was left without 30 thousand rubles, which he himself voluntarily transferred to the scammers from his electronic wallet, he was not even embarrassed by the fact that the tickets were two times cheaper than usual, and the domain name of the site for the sale of air tickets was Goodavia. biz (GoodAvia) was registered just two days ago, but despite this, Google and Yandex were already shouting that they were scammers! Isn't this a reason to suspect something is wrong?
So friends, if you have the Internet turned on on your phone, then be careful and do not download just anything, use only antiviruses from well-known manufacturers, for example Dr.Web Mobile Security, ESET NOD32 Mobile Security, Kaspersky Internet Security for Android, all these products are paid , but firstly, the price, for example, for Dr.Web Mobile Security is only 199 rubles for a year! Is this too much for you? Secondly, all of the listed antiviruses will work fully functional in trial mode for several weeks and you will have time to try everything, evaluate and make your choice.
In my opinion, the best antiviruses for mobile devices and in particular for Android OS are ESET NOD32 Mobile Security and Dr.Web.
Let's start with ESET NOD32 Mobile Security
IN in this case on my hands Galaxy smartphone Ace 3 GT S7270. First we need to go to Play app Market.
In the upper right corner of this application there is a search icon, if we click on it, a line will appear in which we must enter: ESET or
Mobile Security & Antivirus.
In the list that appears we must click on the first application: Mobile Security & Antivirus.
After this we must install it by clicking on the "Install" button
IN Lately For users, the question of how to remove a virus from an Android phone becomes relevant.
This article provides examples of the most common malware and ways to quickly and safely neutralize them.
Each type of malware has its own characteristics and properties.
Let's look at the main types of pest programs that users and effective ways their removal.
Advice! Regularly scan your device for malware and spyware with programs like 360 Security. Dr. Web, Kaspersky, Lookout. They have the most extensive database of Android malware.
Trojan Removal
This type malware is the most popular. You can find Trojans in almost any device, their number is so great.
It can encrypt its actions under the guise of another program and at the same time send paid SMS messages to third-party numbers in invisible mode.
The Trojan can also steal your credit card numbers and passwords recorded anywhere on the device: in SMS messages, notes, special programs for storing data.
To get rid of the Trojan, follow these steps:
- Scan your device for spyware and malware, for example using Lookout, as shown in the figure.
- Remove any suspicious programs found. These two simple steps are enough to neutralize and remove the Trojan from Android.
Removing adware
This type of malicious software is also very common, however, unlike a Trojan, it is not aimed at harming the device and extorting money, but at making money through advertising.
It is not necessary to uninstall the application that is causing the ads to appear.
Several ways to solve the problem:
- Turn on Airplane mode. In this mode, the Internet and other types of connections are turned off, so advertising is not loaded or displayed. This solution to the problem is suitable for games and applications that do not require the Internet to work with.
To enable the mode, hold down the power button and in the window that appears, select the required type of action, as shown in the figure;
- Removal by scanning. Scan your phone for threats; adware ones are almost always detected, so removing them will not be difficult.
Removing a malicious banner
This type of malicious software blocks all phone functions and extorts the user to pay money to disable the blocker banner.
This type of malware is often found on all phones.
Advice! If your phone or tablet has been infected with this type of malware, immediately take out your SIM cards before a large amount is withdrawn from your account.
An infected program can be easily eliminated in a few steps:
- Turn off the device and fully charge it;
- Turn on your device. All subsequent actions must be done as quickly as possible before the ransomware banner appears;
- Go to settings (section for developers);
- Enable USB debugging mode;
Good time!
Many viruses on the phone are insidious because for the time being they do not manifest themselves in any way: until suddenly you discover that the funds on your mobile have disappeared somewhere. This is where doubts creep in, whether Android has caught some kind of virus...
In general, the most common signs of Android infection are:
- pop up banners, intrusive adware(where it has never been before);
- loss of money from the phone balance;
- frequent device freezes and reboots;
- spontaneous installation and updating of applications;
- inability to visit some sites, etc.
I should note that currently the number of viruses for Android devices is growing at some rate (apparently due to the fact that it is easier to “profit from” something from a phone than from a PC).
In general, in this article I want to look at several simple and effective options for removing viruses from Android devices (phone, tablet). I will also give the most common tricks and tricks of virus writers, and the main protective measures to counter them.
I hope the information will help you get your device back into working order and save money. Now, closer to the point...
If the menu opens and you can install applications
Using antivirus on Android
Perhaps this is the most obvious and quick way(will help against most viruses).
The algorithm of actions is approximately the following:
Unfortunately, some viruses cannot be removed in this way (they can actively block some functions of the security software and interfere with cleaning).
Addition!
Some viruses block access to Google Play Market. In this case, to download the antivirus, use its analogues:
Using Antivirus on your computer
Some Android phones can be connected to a computer like USB drive(note: if it is a USB drive, it means that it can be scanned for viruses, like an ordinary disk!).
Algorithm:
If some menus and settings do not open
A more problematic option. Often, some user data is lost. I recommend that before resetting your phone, try booting it into safe mode (very similar to Windows safe mode: it will also boot only the most required applications, without which the norms cannot be implemented. telephone operation).
Removing via Safe Mode
A lot of virus software works fine in normal phone mode, but absolutely cannot in safe mode (for example, various banners, pop-up and flashing messages, browser add-ons, etc. “garbage”).
To enter safe mode:
- press and hold the power button so that the service menu appears asking you to turn off/restart the phone;
- next item "shutdown" (not to be confused with the physical button on the side of the phone) press and hold for 2-5 seconds;
- A window should appear asking you to switch to safe mode - just click OK. See example below.
Note: to exit safe mode, simply restart your device.
In Safe Mode you can also go to Google Play Market, download an antivirus and check the phone with it (and since the phone started with a minimal set of software, most likely no pop-up windows or banners will bother you!).
An example in the screenshot below. Please note that when you boot your phone in safe mode, you will see a notification about this at the bottom of the window (some applications will be unavailable (gray icons)).
Resetting the phone (Hard Reset)
This method should help even in the most difficult situations. Please note that after the reset, all your previous data and settings will be deleted (along with viruses), i.e. the phone will return to its original state (as it was new when purchased).
How to reset:
Addition!
Detailed instructions for resetting Android settings to factory presets (the article will help you delete all data from your phone and tablet (including viruses)) -
Prevention measures (how to avoid infecting your phone in the future)
In most cases, phone infection occurs due to the user’s carelessness or carelessness. Many people, visiting various entertainment sites (torrents, sites for making money, collections of games, etc.), do not pay attention to some messages, and easily “fall” for scammers. Below I will give a few typical examples.
Let's say you are looking for a file and want to download it (in general, an ordinary situation). You come across a forum where the first message contains a link to a file, and then 10-15 people. actively thank the author of the topic. In 99% of cases, this is a scam, after downloading and running the file: you will either send a paid SMS (you will get a subscription) or catch some kind of virus.
Also be very careful when installing games. During installation, Android, by the way, always shows what permissions are required for a particular application. Please note that the fake game (most likely it is infected with some kind of “good”) requires permission to send SMS (of course, after permission to install it, you will lose part of your mobile balance).
By the way, even if you yourself do not visit various “gray” sites, it may happen that scammers will send you an ill-fated SMS to your phone. Most often, this can be associated with the most popular sites: VK, OK, Avito, etc. (after all, many have a profile there, and it’s quite easy to interest an inexperienced person).
According to statistics, 2-5 people will click on the message below. out of 100!
Another extremely popular method of infection is various offers to check the device for viruses, or speed up its performance (some promise as much as 2-3 times!). Naturally, these are all fake messages.
If you want to check your device for viruses, go to the Play Market, download an antivirus from a reputable manufacturer, and check your phone with it (rather than agree to various “good” offers).
- try to install applications only from (and preferably only well-known developers);
- don't get it root rights (if the virus gets to them, it will be much more difficult to remove it);
- install one of these on your phone (and check the device regularly);
- do not follow suspicious links, do not agree to various “anti-virus” checks on little-known sites, etc. (I discussed some of the “tricks” above);
- install protection on your phone or other devices from “foreign” hands;
- do not connect control bank account via SMS, auto-replenishment (for example, if a virus starts sending paid SMS, then bank auto-payment will “help” it empty your account).
In general, I personally would give one more piece of advice: for work, get yourself a simple and very ordinary phone; for entertainment - use Android with dozens of applications. In my opinion, such a measure will seriously protect your funds and nerves.
That's all. Additions on the topic are welcome!
Modern Android devices have built-in protection against viruses and spyware. Therefore, if you are careful and refrain from visiting dubious sites, it is very difficult to become infected with malicious software. However, fans of online surfing periodically pick up various “Trojans” on their devices, as a result of which they begin to malfunction. Let's look at how to clean an Android phone from viruses.
Finding and removing malware using mobile antivirus programs
If you notice that your smartphone's processing speed has decreased and it has begun to consume more network traffic, it may have acquired viruses. In such cases, it would be a good idea to check the internal and external memory of the gadget for malicious code. This can be done in two ways:
- directly from your phone;
- via computer.
In the first case, you will need to acquire a mobile antivirus program, which can be Avast Mobile Security, Dr.Web, Eset Mobile Seurity or another program with similar functionality. As an example, let's look at how to clean a smartphone from viruses using Avast:
- Download the application to your device. You can do this from the Play Market absolutely free.
- Launch the utility and mark the objects you want to examine. Here you can configure automatic scanning of the device on the required days and at certain times.
- After the scan is complete, remove or block potentially dangerous files and applications.
- To increase the security capabilities of Avast, activate the firewall and anti-theft functions in its settings. For the first tool to function properly, root access must be unlocked on the device. Anti-theft is present only in the paid version of the program.
Cleaning your smartphone from viruses via PC
If you do not want to install on mobile device antivirus program or there is simply no free space on the memory card, you can search for and remove viruses on your phone through a computer. To do this you need:
When the phone diagnostics is completed, all infected files will be displayed in front of you. The program will delete them on its own or block access to them. From now on, when surfing websites, be more careful and do not visit dubious pages.
How to identify an infected device? Bitdefender has released a list of five signs that may indicate a malware infection.
Huge phone bills
Last year, a botnet created for the Android platform, called SpamSoldier, was discovered. Infection begins with receiving an advertising message offering to download a copy of a popular game, for example, Need for Speed or Angry Birds Space. Having been tempted, the user clicks on the link in the message, and the corresponding application is downloaded and installed on his device. BUT, in addition to the game, a hidden installation of a copy of SpamSoldier also occurs at the same time. The malware then sends fraudulent SMS messages from the infected device for widespread distribution. In this case, the user does not notice SpamSoldier activity for some time, since the program deletes copies of sent messages and intercepts SMS delivery notifications and possible replies to them. Only the increased costs of communication services allow us to suspect something is wrong.
"Not everyone is that greedy," warns Bitdefender. "They may sometimes send an SMS once a month to avoid suspicion, or they may remove themselves, leaving a serious hole in your budget."
Outrageous phone bills are certainly a sign of malware, so review all your bills carefully.
Restricting access to data
Most malware doesn't want to just sit on your phone, it either wants to steal data from your phone or use your phone to transfer information somewhere else.
Luckily, Android has some built-in tools to help you manage your data. On the menu Settings click Data Usage(Use of data) In chapter Wireless & Networks. Here you can see how much data each app is using, and you can set a data limit.
Battery charging consumption
One of the most difficult to notice signs, since most mobile users everywhere experience problems with charger. However, Bitdefender notes that "malware can make itself known because it drains batteries faster."
This is because the malware operates in the background, causing your device to work twice as hard.
Before you try to install a battery optimizing app, try to remember if you have recently downloaded any unusual app or received some suspicious messages. Or just do a quick virus scan.
Decreased performance
"Depending on the characteristics of the hardware devices, malware may cause serious problems performance (read, write, transfer)," notes Bitdefender. Like battery drain, poor performance can be difficult to notice but can mean something is wrong.
A good way to check is to go to the settings menu. Here, next to the running application, the amount of used random access memory. Here you can check the amount of available RAM.
If your device is slowing down simply because you have too many apps, widgets, and live screensavers, then it's probably not malware.
Missed calls
By their nature, malware affects other functions of the phone. Missed calls or strange glitches during calls may also indicate the presence of malware.
Of course, many other factors can lead to problems with calls. Your location, carrier issues, and even the weather can affect calls mobile phone. Your task is to narrow the circle possible reasons problems.
What to do next?
If you have ruled out all possible options for the problem, but it remains, then you should scan your phone. Many mobile antivirus scan programs as soon as they are downloaded, potentially preventing malware from being placed on the device. Reviews of the services from which you download applications can tell you whether the application is safe or not to install.
You can also prevent malware from being introduced by avoiding strange connections, unwanted messages Email with attachments, SMS and spam.
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