Antivirus Apps for Android necessary or unnecessary? – Android Planet

Antivirus Apps for Android have been around almost as long as the platform itself, but its necessity is questionable. Contrary to what many security companies claim, using this kind of apps would be redundant, says Google. But is that so?

More and more malware

The risk of rogue apps exaggerated

Adrian Ludwig, who is the head of the Android security branch of Google, believes that antivirus apps offer no added value. Mid last year, he said that while there is uncertainty about the admission process in Google Play, but every app anyway goes through an automated system and so is scanned for malware. If you as a user installs an app, then this is verified as good as possible by Google.

Ludwig also indicates that the risk of malicious apps on Android is heavily exaggerated, especially when compared to the PC and Mac. According to Kaspersky Labs, 98 percent of all mobile malware targeting Android, but not according to Ludwig figures show the number of users affected by malicious apps. “If this kind of apps never admitted to Google Play and never installed, does it make?”

According to Tonny Roelofs, Country Manager of Trend Micro, indeed. Their package called Mobile Security & amp; Antivirus is free to download and try, but to use it for more than a month, you need a paid subscription. In addition to scanning your apps on any viruses (which according to Google is unnecessary if you have them removed from the Play Store), the application provides a privacy scanner that checks the permissions of apps.

“The number of rogue apps and the number of infections on Android is still growing and one must ward against you as a user. Especially when you see that more and more apps are downloaded from sites other than Google Play; control is completely gone. In addition, also contain leaks reliable apps that abuse can be made. “

The added value of antivirus apps

Apps outside the official channels is to install Android much easier than with iOS, but by default this is not possible. Only when you proactively option “Unknown sources” box, you can loose apk files – which are not verified by Google – install on your Android device. In that case, antivirus apps offer advantages because they can not authenticated scanning apps for malware. “But 99 percent of users will have little or nothing to an antivirus app,” says Ludwig.

Also Chris DiBona, who leads the open source branch of Google, you will find that supply and risk of malware in Google Play is minimal. At the end of 2011, he called companies offering antivirus apps “charlatans and scammers’ addressing the fear that consumers lives about malware on Android. The dangers are security exaggerated with the target sales of nonsensical security suites, argues DiBona.

Roelofs find outdated that position. “Our app has the ability to apps and files before scanning the download on their reputation and potential security risks. Based on our database with real-time information about infected websites and apps action. “

In addition, Android app, Trend Micro has the option to block phone calls, blocking unsafe websites to scan Facebook at ‘privacy -aandachtspunten ‘and clear the memory by closing apps. Useful features to have combined in one app, though there are of course in Google Play to find alternatives that do not cost money.

Exaggerated threat

According to Han Sahin, co-founder of Securify, diving regularly rogue apps on new ways to circumvent existing detection capabilities. “But we also believe that many security companies exaggerate the threat of fake apps and malware. The biggest risk is that apps from locations other than Google Play download. There is often no control. There are also malicious apps with famous names like Flappy Birds of Candy crushes masquerading as legitimate apps. “

Han advises to only download apps from Google Play and looking at the reviews and the number of downloads. “Unfortunately there is no reliable way to examine the validity of applications for example to verify the certificate of the publisher who signed the Android app. It is true that antivirus apps you can guard against simple malware already on a blacklist. “

Also Brenno de Winter, investigative journalist and expert in the field of security and privacy, believes that antivirus apps added can provide value. “Such an additional layer of security is completely unnecessary. With the large number of apps that appear in Google Play, shoot there still something through. We have seen often enough in the past. Even legitimate apps may contain vulnerabilities that pose a security risk. “

Antivirus Apps can help to some extent

” But you should not be too much value attribute to an antivirus package, “says Brenno. “In some cases, applications can recognize a pattern and stop an attack, but they also run regularly behind the facts. New attack techniques are not always detected and then you still run the risk to be infected. We also know that there are loopholes (intentional and unintentional) are in software, found bad so far. It helps to some extent to have antivirus, though it provides only partial protection. “

Common Sense

Where both Tonny, Han as Brenno agree on, which is healthy mind is one of the best defenses (more on securing our tipartikel Android). Be cautious about the apps you install, be careful which permissions you allow and check reviews and the number of downloads of an app.

“The policy toolkit of Bits of Freedom can help,” said Brenno . Read at your doubt well, because unfortunately may also popular apps leak.

What weapon you against your Android malware? Let us know in the comments!