Android malware is a potential threat. If any of the dangerous variants find their way onto your smartphone, they can cause major damage. Malware can steal personal information, serve you annoying ads, and eat up your smartphone's resources.
The most common way to prevent Android malware is to use an antivirus app. But are antivirus apps really necessary? Do they protect your Android device from malware is a question that many people are interested in.
Many antivirus software are not as effective as advertised. (Illustration photo)
Does antivirus software really protect your computer as advertised?
Research from Cybernews shows that free antivirus apps can contain trackers and links to malicious websites, which is completely contrary to what the apps are advertised to be, contrary to the wishes of users when they look for these apps.
Researchers at Cybernews looked at 40 different antivirus and phone cleaner apps. These were all top-rated apps on the Play Store. Together, they had attracted more than 918 million downloads. Notably, only two of them did not contain any trackers, while six contained malicious links.
According to the security ranking system from Cybernews, Keep Clean Cleaner, Antivirus scored the highest with a score of 54/100. Meanwhile, two applications Safe Security - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner and Nova Security - Virus Cleaner ranked at the bottom of the rankings with scores of 9/100 and 10/100 respectively.
In particular, the Dr.Capsule Antivirus, Cleaner application contains up to 3 potentially malicious links. Other applications such as GO Security - Antivirus, AppLock, Booster and Virus Hunter 2021 Virus Scanner and Phone Cleaner all have 2 malicious links.
According to experts, Android smartphone users often want to protect their phones from malware and keep their devices running at their fastest, so they look for junk file or cache cleaning software. However, many of the free apps available come with a hidden price: user data can be tracked, sold or managed in an unsafe way.
Antivirus software can have some negative effects on your computer. (Illustration)
Are antivirus apps harmful?
It may seem counterintuitive, but most Android antivirus apps will negatively affect your device in some way.
Consumes computer resources
Because of using fancy animation effects, running in the background in real time, anti-virus applications will drain your device's battery. Along with that, because they have to run continuously, they will also take up RAM capacity of other running applications.
Incorrect report
The second thing that can be mentioned and is also very common is false and inaccurate reporting. Anti-virus applications on Android sometimes warn familiar and legitimate applications as malware, causing users to panic.
There are even cases where anti-virus software reports very necessary applications such as Facebook, Zalo, Telegram, etc. Deleting them will result in losing necessary communication tools, and not deleting them will cause anxiety. This also causes a lot of discomfort and inconvenience for the device owner.
Android is capable of keeping you safe from most malicious apps without the need for a third party. (Illustration)
Often exaggerating the truth about malware?
According to Statista, a German online platform, Android is by far the most popular mobile operating system in the world, with a 73% market share. Being the most popular mobile computing platform comes at a price. Every month there is some news story about Android malware that will surely destroy your smartphone.
While most of these reports are based on facts, they overstate the true risk of malware infection. Antivirus vendors often exaggerate this news, making malware infections seem like a pandemic.
In fact, while Android malware is still a potential threat, as long as your security settings are up to date, your chances of getting infected are usually lower than you think. If you do the right thing, Android's security measures should negate the need for a third-party anti-malware app.
The Android operating system has come a long way since its vulnerable early days. While it's still a popular target for malicious apps, Android is inherently capable of keeping you safe from the vast majority of malicious apps.
If the Android operating system has most of what is needed to protect your smartphone, is it worth risking device security for what third-party anti-malware vendors promise?
While there are some quality anti-malware apps on the market from reputable companies, the Android operating system comes with most of what you need to stay safe. If you have an Android antivirus app on your device right now, remove it if you have any doubts.
Thanh Hoa (synthesis)
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