Android Malware and Security Concerns - How To Bypass This

The popularity of Android has also lead to lot of talk about the security concerns in the platform. This mainly comes in the form of malware. There are a lot of firms that are marketing Android security solution but the truth is these malwares can be avoided by following a few simple steps.

Android Malware Protection

Read Reviews   
It is wise to follow the crowd at times and thus you need to check out for the popularity and ratings of the apps on Google Play before installing them. If an app has seen large number of downloads you can trust it. Also read the reviews that the app has received. If the reviews are bad and talk about security concerns it’s wise to avoid these apps. 

Sideload With Care   
When it comes to downloading Android apps you can download these from other sites apart from Google Play. This process is known as sideloading. Google Play removes malicious apps but these sites may not follow suit. So you need to exercise caution while sideloading. By default this option is disabled on your Android device. You can enable it from Unknown sources check box in your Settings screen. But be careful while sideloading apps from third-party websites. This applies especially to pirated apps as they are one of the major sources of malicious elements in your Android device. 

Beware of Third-Party App Stores   
Third-party app stores are one of the primary sources of malwares as we have already mentioned in the previous point and thus you need to be careful with these stores. These stores don’t carry out comprehensive checks on the apps and thus apps that pose a security threat might be listed on these stores. There isn’t any mechanism to know if an app has some malicious element in it so you need to exercise caution while downloading it from third-party app stores. If you have an iota of doubt in your mind regarding these stores it would be wise to knock some other door for your app. 

High Risk Apps May Not Have Risks!   
If you are using an Android anti-virus these programs might categories some apps as ‘high risk’ which convinces you to stay away from these apps. But the truth is all these apps many not pose any serious security threats to your device. These apps merely seek permissions like viewing your phone’s device information. This might raise a privacy concern but this doesn’t necessarily mean they are harmful. So if you have installed an anti-virus in your Android device use your discretionary powers and not only rely on their findings. 

 

Be Careful of Phishing   
Phishing is another great concern on your Android devices. These mainly come in the form of emails which request for information such as your banking and credit card details. Also some redirect you to sites which look exactly like your online banking site. Never click on these links or enter your banking username and passwords as this might lead to hacking of your bank account.

Author Bio:

This post has been contributed by Ms. Sakshi Bhardwaj, an Android apps developer with Daffodil Software Ltd. You can reach her on Facebook here.