With more than 2.5 billion users in 190 countries, Android is the most popular operating system in the world. So, of course Android devices will be targeted by malware, viruses, phishing scams, ransomware, and other cyber attacks. But do you really need to shell out for an Android antivirus? Aren’t the device’s built-in protections enough?
They aren’t. You do need to buy an Android antivirus app, and you should get it from a reputable manufacturer, because many Android antivirus programs don’t work. Google Play Protect isn’t effective, and there’s a high chance you could download malware from Play Store. You can’t afford to leave your Android device unprotected for a moment longer.
Google Play Protect Isn’t Very Effective
Androids come with Google Play Protect built in. The app is supposed to scan any apps downloaded from the Play Store to protect your device from malware. But if you’re relying on Google Play Protect to keep malicious apps off your phone, you’d better think twice.
Independent testing lab AV-Comparatives tested 10 popular Android security apps, including antivirus for Android apps from Trend Micro, Avast, BitDefender, AVG, and Avira. Google Play Protect was also tested. AV-Comparatives found that Google Play Protect was the least effective at detecting malware. While several of the tested apps offered 100 percent protection rates, Google Play Protect’s protection rate was just 81.7 percent. Google Play Protect also had the highest rate of false positives.
The Play Store Is Infested with Malware
Google does its best to keep malware out of the Play Store, but you simply can’t trust apps just because they’re in the Play Store. Malicious apps are constantly being found in the Play Store, and many malware-riddled apps get to hang out in the Play Store for a long time before they’re detected and removed. You can do your due diligence with regards to Play Store apps, checking the reviews and searching for the app online to make sure it’s legitimate, for example. But you’re not always going to detect a malicious app and neither will Google Play Protect. It makes sense to use a third-party antivirus for your Android device.
Hackers Are Targeting Mobile Devices
Hackers are increasingly targeting smartphones and other mobile devices, because they know that we live our lives on these devices and that they contain so much valuable personal and financial information. A hacker that gains access to your Android phone could also gain access to your email, online banking information, credit card information, budgeting apps, social media, and so on.
Hundreds of apps exist in the Play Store to do nothing more than steal your login credentials for social media, banking apps, email, and more. They’re masquerading as photo editors, games, business and phone utilities, VPNs, and lifestyle apps. You need an antivirus for your Android device to help you sort the wheat from the chaff and detect suspicious behavior from apps before you inadvertently download them onto your phone.
Many Android Antivirus Apps Don’t Work
When it comes to choosing an antivirus app for your Android device, it’s imperative that you get one from one of the major manufacturers: Trend Micro, BitDefender, Kaspersky, Avast, McAfee, AVG, and Symantec are all good choices. According to another test by AV-Comparatives, many of the apps being offered in the Play Store as antivirus apps simply don’t work. AV-Comparatives tested 250 antivirus apps for Android phones and found that two-thirds of them didn’t work. Only 23 of the 250 antivirus apps tested detected 100 percent of all the malware samples used.
This study also provided further evidence that you can’t rely on reviews and ratings in the Google Play Store to identify a malicious or ineffective antivirus app. The researchers found that most of the apps were rated four stars or higher in the Play Store. A successful fake app is often downloaded tens of thousands of times before it is detected, so you can’t rely on the number of downloads it has, either. User reviews and ratings may not be reliable, because users may not be aware that an app is fake or malicious and developers may add fake reviews to a malicious app to make it seem more appealing.
If you’re using an Android device without an antivirus app, you’re putting your personal information and finances at risk. Hackers are targeting mobile devices, especially those that run Android. Protect yourself with an Android antivirus app now.
