do i need antivirus software for my android tablet

Checking your app permissions is always a good idea.Ĭheck your security settings and disallow the installation of apps from unknown sources. Apart from installing an antivirus app and using common sense to avoid opening suspicious attachments and links, you can also avoid installing apps via APK files from outside of the Play Store.

You're probably a lot more likely to lose your phone or have it compromised because of a silly PIN code like '1234' than you are to get infected with malware, but there are some things you can do to avoid risk.

When it comes to security, you're your own biggest threat and common sense will get you far.

There are a ton of types of malware which can infect mobile devices. Malicious software can even brick your device, making it no longer usable and unrepairable. Regardless of the type of malware, any malicious software which makes its way onto your device can have severe consequences, like having your credit card information stolen or your photos lost forever. The table below shows some of the different types from 20 and their prevalence. There are also a ton of different types of malware which can infect mobile devices, from merely annoying AdWare that just shows you ads to more devastating ransomware trojans. You can also get malware from email attachments, text messages, WhatsApp hacks, phishing scams, sketchy download links and more. These can be found on the Play Store or as APKs that can be installed manually outside of the Play Store. Malicious apps can masquerade as helpful utilities or they can be copycats of popular apps, with the same name and icon. The fact that these apps made it onto the platform in the first place doesn't exactly inspire confidence. But, in 2017 alone, Google removed 700,000 malicious apps from its own Play Store. Android's former Chief Security Engineer Adrian Lugwig stated in the past that he doesn't believe the average Android user needs to install antivirus apps. You might have thought the Play Store would be safe, but you'd be wise to think again.

There are several different ways of catching malware on your Android device. The threats are on the rise and constantly evolving. We're all familiar by now with the risks and disastrous consequences of viruses and other types of malware on PCs, but now malicious software is targeting our smartphones too.

Do i need antivirus software for my android tablet