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Android Security Apps?

Security for Android | AllDroid

I ended up reading this review about security apps for android and was trying to find information about it here but couldn't find very much. Reason being is that I am finding myself browsing the web more often now and with skyfire watching some videos.

Do any of you use the apps like Lookout, Wavesecure, Mobile Defense, or Android Security.

The locating your droid online seems really cool but I was really thinking about an anti-virus. I have no idea about internet security on a mobile phone but I know all my personal computers have anti-viruses on them.

Just wanted to see what other droid owners use.
 
I was thinking about getting mobile defense. I did some more research and supposedly linux is immune to viruses? Something that they don't use executable files? As you can tell I am no computer guy. Is that the case?

Also I was reading that they can load a virus onto your phone/sd card and when you plug it into your computer it will infect it. Any truth in this?
 
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I was thinking about getting mobile defense. I did some more research and supposedly linux is immune to viruses? Something that they don't use executable files? As you can tell I am no computer guy. Is that the case?

Also I was reading that they can load a virus onto your phone/sd card and when you plug it into your computer it will infect it. Any truth in this?
The sd card thing is possible, IF you have a Windows based PC that has the autorun feature enable.
 
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sure a virus can be put on an SD card if you mount the card on your computer. BUT, the question is, can said "virus" actually run and execute some damage on these phones? I am not sure.

But, there is an app I use to run called "antivirus free" that thinks so as it checks downloaded apps at the moment they download and has real time phone scanning.

Also, Mobile defense is not for virus protection. seems your kind of crossing 2 needs.
 
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sure a virus can be put on an SD card if you mount the card on your computer. BUT, the question is, can said "virus" actually run and execute some damage on these phones? I am not sure.

But, there is an app I use to run called "antivirus free" that thinks so as it checks downloaded apps at the moment they download and has real time phone scanning.

Also, Mobile defense is not for virus protection. seems your kind of crossing 2 needs.
A virus that's written for Windows is not going to run on an Android phone. Android's security is pretty tight anyways (as long as you don't root your phone). Now of course, there always exists the possibility of a security hole that malware writers are able to exploit, and perhaps come in through the web browser. On Android I think that's a really slim chance. But most likely, if such a bad Android virus comes out, then we would hear about it before the "security apps" do.

Another possibility is that someone posts malware to the market. It shouldn't stay there for long because users will flag it. Would that delay be any longer than the delay it takes for the "security app" writers to discover it? This is where it really pays to check the permissions that the app is requesting.
 
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Linux is not immune to viruses or malicious code, just not as prone to them as windows.

I use lookout mainly for when I cant find my phone, I just go online and it sets off an alarm on my phone so that i can find it. Very handy and worth it in my opinion. It also scans the apps that I install, has yet to find a bad one yet.

Heres an interesting read from the WSJ if you are interested.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/03/10/tracking-the-clues-in-the-google-android-app-attack/
 
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It's not that you can't write malicious code for linux, but since it is open source you have the entire user base looking out for each other, so to speak.
Someone writes a nasty app it gets caught in no time flat since there are eyes on it from many sources, not just Apple employees or Microsoft employees.


That said - SeekDroid - 99 cents does remote wipe and lock et cetera without any AV bull.
 
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