A good anti-virus and anti-spyware ?

[joshthegeek]

Self-rooting malware for the Droid exists and is easy to publish.

Google Removes 21 Malware Apps from Android Market | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

This is a mere six months after a moderator said that no known malware existed in the wild. Still believe that asking about AV software is being paranoid? If so, can I be on a retainer for your PC support, because you sound like you'll need a lot of it.

[hookbill]

Self-rooting malware for the Droid exists and is easy to publish.

Google Removes 21 Malware Apps from Android Market | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

This is a mere six months after a moderator said that no known malware existed in the wild. Still believe that asking about AV software is being paranoid? If so, can I be on a retainer for your PC support, because you sound like you'll need a lot of it.

You still don't need antivirus. There is a big difference between malware and virus. We never said that Malware doesn't exist and wasn't out there. What we said was that you need to look at what you download, ask questions if something sounds funny, come into the Forum and see if someone has had experience with the app. In other words do your homework.

Virus protection is still a major resource hog and unnecessary. This revaluation of 21 pieces of Malware is small potatoes compared to what they found in hundreds of wallpaper that was available.

[Backnblack]

This is a mere six months after a moderator said that no known malware existed in the wild.

And you Point being?

[banjoangi]

I did have an app that was infected. Thought it was safe, then I noticed my phone started acting strange. SO I put a AV app and it found the app that was infected. So saying viruses can't happen on any app....it can. Also the AV doesn't slow/lag my phone down.
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using DroidForums App

[hookbill]

I did have an app that was infected. Thought it was safe, then I noticed my phone started acting strange. SO I put a AV app and it found the app that was infected. So saying viruses can't happen on any app....it can. Also the AV doesn't slow/lag my phone down.
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using DroidForums App

Infected with what? There is no proof that any virus has been in an app. And believe me if there was it would be all over the place.

[kptphalkon]

This is how updates for virus and malware and spyware protection work:

A flagrant piece of code, with extreme luck, gets found before it damages a lot of systems. These companies rip apart the virus code to find exploits that are traceable within a system, and then have to compile into the scanner's search files the things it has to look for. Then, they give notice to the user that their pattern file should be updated.

In my experience with windows, and dont tell me this is like comparing apples to oranges, a program or virus that gets deeply into the system (I am relating this to an app with root or su access), cannot be taken care of by conventional scanners

I have always, and forever will, find antivirus programs totally useless until you find they are needed. How simple is it to defend against a virus attack on android?

Uninstall a bad app,
Restore to a nandroid backup,
Or at worst sbf the phone, making sure to wipe and reformat everything.

But i think it will be a long long time before a monster virus appears that seats itself so deeply into a phone that an sbf is needed.

[kptphalkon]

I missed my main point:

Viruses simply arent out there for the conventional, and mostly non conventional user.

This relates to windows as well: Most problems start when you idiotically download something without taking a look at it first. I religously have never run anti virus on my windows machines for the last 7 years, and have only once needed it when a wormed torrent was put on my comp by a friend.

[joshthegeek]

There is a big difference between malware and virus.

Technically speaking, every virus is malware, but not all malware are viruses. A virus is by definition malware. Other malware exists, such as trojan horses, worms, etc, but a virus *is* malware.

[joshthegeek]

Viruses simply arent out there for the conventional, and mostly non conventional user.

This relates to windows as well: Most problems start when you idiotically download something without taking a look at it first. I religously have never run anti virus on my windows machines for the last 7 years, and have only once needed it when a wormed torrent was put on my comp by a friend.

I will agree with you that "most problems start when you... download something without taking a look at it first."

This is not always the case and running a computer or electronic device without antivirus is like having unprotected sex. Most of the time you'll be okay, but eventually you *will* get infected.

If you're running a computer without antivirus, you are inviting trouble.

In 2006, both TomTom GPS units and iPods came pre-loaded with viruses.

In 2007 several laptop computers with Windows Vista were infected with the boot sector virus Stoned.Angelina upon purchase.

In early 2008 thousands of computers were infected with viruses that came on their new digital photo frames purchased as Best Buy. (I personally was involved with the investigation of these viruses and tracing them back to their source in China)

Don't think that if you don't download software or "are careful" you won't get a virus. That's a sure fire way to get into trouble.

[joshthegeek]

There is no proof that any virus has been in an app.

What do you call this?

Google pulls Market apps with root exploit -- one patched in AOSP, but you probably didn't get it | Android Central