My iPhone 5s was a gonner so I decided to change-up and get a Samsung Galaxy S7 (Android Marshmalllow). Is it advisable to install an antivirus or other security app? ...and if so, please suggest a few good ones (preferably free). Thanks!
You can find some good apps here: https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/mobile-devices/android/ I usually like Norton, Zemana, Bitdefender or sometimes Avast or Sophos.
If you only download apps from the Play Store, and don't use 3rd party apps stores or download and installs apps manually, then chance of getting infected is extremely minimal. But installing an antivirus won't hurt as it should have close to zero affect on the performance and battery life on your phone, as Android antiviruses don't continually monitor the phone like PC antiviruses do.
Thanks... Btw, is Baidu and the DU Group one and the same (I can't find Baidu Mobil Security on Google Play)?
Please provide a quantified probability percentage of "minimal" to 5 significant places after the decimal. (I use MBAM. I 'd rather be safe than minimized.)
All I can say is that I've download nearly 900 apps (yes I know that's a lot) from the Play Store over the last 6 years, and have not got infected yet. If I was to include the apps I've downloaded from third party app stores, and the APKs I've downloaded and installed manually, the number would be closer to a thousand apps. I've also not got infected from APK files or using third party apps stores, even though it's nowhere near as safe as downloading from Google Play.
Although I do agree with the "you don't need one" sentiment of some users, I only agree with them. If you have to ask about AV's for Android, it's probably safer to have one installed. I've heard great things about NoRoot Firewall, ESET, and Sophos for real-time protection. I personally use AFWall+ to disable the majority of internet connectivity (I'm thinking about uninstalling it soon), but I do use Zemana with real-time protection disabled, and set up to scan any .apk file I open on my phone. Although I have not been infected on my Android before, I have found a few modified .apk files from questionable sources that Zemana has flagged as adware.
I would, on my Galaxy S5 I have Zemana with real time "ON", it's very light I don't even know it's there. Unlikely ill ever have a problem but if I do I have a catch net . Oh OT nice phone choice , I'm going to the 7 next month.
No antivirus needed. Just don't root and follow general security guidelines (don't visit unknown websites, don't install APKs from unknown sources and so on).
Update,, I'm currently trying Kaspersky IS on my droid and really liking it so far, it has nice features of course real time web protection, schedule scans, etc, updates and is very configurable in it's settings, Has deep file scanning and it's light. Compared to BD I tied it does have RT WP but there is no schedule scans and the scans were only apps installed no deep scanning of files and not to many settings you could configure and only a 14 day trial. Anyone else running KIS??
So not to steer too far OT, how are you liking Marshmallow Permissions managements. Are those enough to your own satisfaction? What I like is that it shows EVERY permission each app contains and with Marshmallow we can DENY many of them that the app really doesn't need to work right anyway like Phone Contacts, Microphone etc.
Same here. Plus now that Huawei FINALLY! got around to dishing out some Security patches and most of all eliminated LAG that was really horrible on Honor 5X as well as that BATTERY DRAIN BUG it's actually a usable handset again for me. It was a royal pain using X-plore after every reset/reboot to dig down deep in the settings for sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/core_ctl/min_cpus and change the 4 to 0 so that a minimal of 1 cpu core was to be active instead of 4 all the time. It caused the Battery to drain off way too fast the way it was. A HUGE oversight. Mine was in the closet for months until I learned of the new update. Of course I had to revert all the way back to square one and work back up again but it was worth the trouble this time. The big bonus with Marshmallow Android 6.01 for me is no need for AV of any type. Just a keen eye on what comes in and then use Android to configure the PERMISSIONS manually.
I agree that may be very important for those who use browsers especially. I remember getting hit with a lousy repeating ad obviously designed to not only refuse shutting down/off but a battery drainer too. That was BEFORE getting the permissions in order and needless to say now I use Free Adblocker Browser too. Of course if anything wild ever happens TWRP BackUps take care of those matters as well as Macrium Reflect does for Windows.
the best way to protect your is to use only google playstore i dont think an antivirus on android can do much because it run sandboxed like other apps so it doesnt have system wide access
Viruses can only get root (full) access if your device is rooted, and you manually grant access from the Super User prompts.
+1 Important if your device is rooted and you know what your doing to keep watch on the SuperSU List of which apps you set to Grant Status to.
Every decent Android malware does that. Godless, Kemoge. Don't remember more and don't want to look it up. Google should tell you more. Only Nexus/Pixel brand and a few other exceptions are secure because they've got all the security patches. Yet many people still ignore the fact...