Virus Protection

[rdmadson]

Is it a good idea to have virus protection. I have the incredible. Or malware protetion?

 

[spaz33g]

No need. There are as of yet no viruses for android.

Sent from my DROID2 using DroidForums App

 

[droidman101]

Android is based on linux and linux does not get viruses

 

[furbearingmammal]

I have the perfect fix for viruses on your Incredible...

It's awesome...

Flawless...

Free...

Anyone can run it...

Everyone starts off with it...

Uses no system resources...

Comes preinstalled...

Doesn't waste RAM...

Doesn't require updating...

Isn't as useless as a task killer...

What is this amazing thing I'm talking about?

Don't root your phone. Seriously. I'm not kidding.

There are no viruses written for the Android OS and only one confirmed case of malware -- something that hit a few dozen Russian handsets that were rooted, and the malware was spread by way of texting. So don't install any apps your "friends" send you via text.

The only way a virus could do any damage to your phone is if you're rooted. Root access is a serious security risk, which is one of the reasons why these phones don't ship pre-rooted.

And viruses has been discussed so much that this particular little picture applies.

Don't feel too bad, though. Coming from a Windows environment you're trained to think Viruses and Trojans are everywhere. Linux (and by extension, Android) is simply more secure. :welcome: to the forum! Look around and you'll find more information than you dreamed existed on everything you could possibly think existed, I promise, and we're all pretty friendly around these parts. The folks in orange, purple, and red are all nice folks, and those of us in green are here to help with any problems you may have with your phone. If anyone is rude or starts harassing/flaming you please report them using the little report button next to their post and someone will look into it post haste.

Play nice, keep it family-friendly, and you'll have a lot more fun.

 

[DF Smod]

Nice breakdown FBM - Agreed on all points, especially the dead horse

 

[furbearingmammal]

D'oh. I left the word "Android" out of my post. Fixing now...

And thanks, TP.

 

[Droid DOES!!]

+1

Android is based on linux and linux does not get viruses

DroidForums junkie!

 

[jlt]

Android is based on linux and linux does not get viruses

NOTHING is impenetrable.....
Don't give out bad info.

"how to write a Linux virus in 5 easy steps"
How to write a Linux virus in 5 easy steps

GET VIRUS/MALWARE PROTECT ON ALL MACHINES --- and if you don't care about your own machine, think about the crap you could be spreading to friends'/family's machines.

 

[jlt]

Linux virus

I have the perfect fix for viruses on your Incredible...

It's awesome...

Flawless...

Free...

Anyone can run it...

Everyone starts off with it...

Uses no system resources...

Comes preinstalled...

Doesn't waste RAM...

Doesn't require updating...

Isn't as useless as a task killer...

What is this amazing thing I'm talking about?

Don't root your phone. Seriously. I'm not kidding.

There are no viruses written for the Android OS and only one confirmed case of malware -- something that hit a few dozen Russian handsets that were rooted, and the malware was spread by way of texting. So don't install any apps your "friends" send you via text.

The only way a virus could do any damage to your phone is if you're rooted. Root access is a serious security risk, which is one of the reasons why these phones don't ship pre-rooted.

And viruses has been discussed so much that this particular little picture applies.

Don't feel too bad, though. Coming from a Windows environment you're trained to think Viruses and Trojans are everywhere. Linux (and by extension, Android) is simply more secure. :welcome: to the forum! Look around and you'll find more information than you dreamed existed on everything you could possibly think existed, I promise, and we're all pretty friendly around these parts. The folks in orange, purple, and red are all nice folks, and those of us in green are here to help with any problems you may have with your phone. If anyone is rude or starts harassing/flaming you please report them using the little report button next to their post and someone will look into it post haste.

Play nice, keep it family-friendly, and you'll have a lot more fun.

----------

NOTHING is impenetrable.....
Don't give out bad info.

"how to write a linux virus in 5 easy steps"
How to write a Linux virus in 5 easy steps

GET VIRUS/MALWARE PROTECT ON ALL MACHINES --- and if you don't care about your own machine, think about the crap you could be spreading to friends'/family's machines.

 

[nan2825]

Troll much?

Sent from my DROIDX

 

[hookbill]

furbearingmammal did not give you bad information. Please have respect for members of our Rescue Squad.

 

[RTDub]

I have the perfect fix for viruses on your Incredible...

It's awesome...

Flawless...

Free...

Anyone can run it...

Everyone starts off with it...

Uses no system resources...

Comes preinstalled...

Doesn't waste RAM...

Doesn't require updating...

Isn't as useless as a task killer...

What is this amazing thing I'm talking about?

Don't root your phone. Seriously. I'm not kidding.

There are no viruses written for the Android OS and only one confirmed case of malware -- something that hit a few dozen Russian handsets that were rooted, and the malware was spread by way of texting. So don't install any apps your "friends" send you via text.

The only way a virus could do any damage to your phone is if you're rooted. Root access is a serious security risk, which is one of the reasons why these phones don't ship pre-rooted.

And viruses has been discussed so much that this particular little picture applies.

Don't feel too bad, though. Coming from a Windows environment you're trained to think Viruses and Trojans are everywhere. Linux (and by extension, Android) is simply more secure. :welcome: to the forum! Look around and you'll find more information than you dreamed existed on everything you could possibly think existed, I promise, and we're all pretty friendly around these parts. The folks in orange, purple, and red are all nice folks, and those of us in green are here to help with any problems you may have with your phone. If anyone is rude or starts harassing/flaming you please report them using the little report button next to their post and someone will look into it post haste.

Play nice, keep it family-friendly, and you'll have a lot more fun.

While I firmly respect your post count and obvious influence in this forum (me having less than 10 posts), I beg to differ on several points here.

I have been an IT pro for 15 years now, have administered Linux, Unix and Windows boxes, and own a rooted Incredible.

Nothing is immune from a virus. When <insert O/S here> came out, programmers did the best they could to keep their software from the grips of evildoers, yet new viruses are released quite often, just more prominently in the Microsoft environment. In this particular case (Linux), we're in a tranquil place where we don't get bothered much by the effects of a virus, but there is plenty of malware out there.

My phone is rooted for one simple reason: Bloatware. All of your statements above are valid, except the system resources and RAM use that you mention are all sucked up by the bloat on this phone. I have more than doubled my battery life simply by removing useless apps such as CityID, Backup Assistant, Navigator, Skype, Peep, and Slacker (amongst others). This allows me to use Live Wallpaper without having to worry if my battery will be sucked dry by the time I get home from my evening commute.

No offense intended, but there ARE benefits to rooting your phone with the only real major consequence being that you void your warranty. That being said, unrooting your phone can be done before you can make a piece of toast. I have already returned a rooted Incredible, after unrooting of course.

FWIW, to the OP - if you want a level of protection, I have heard good things about Lookout, and I believe AVG has an app for you.

 

[spaz33g]

When he was talking. About his method of virus protection not wasting ram he was referring to antivirus programs wasting ram (which they do) and he was saying that being the root user on your phone makes you far more vulnerable. I've said it a million times, you don't need a task killer you just need common sense. Don't install apps from third party Chinese app stores or texts from random russions. Its that easy.

tappin and a talkin

 

[RTDub]

When he was talking. About his method of virus protection not wasting ram he was referring to antivirus programs wasting ram (which they do) and he was saying that being the root user on your phone makes you far more vulnerable. I've said it a million times, you don't need a task killer you just need common sense. Don't install apps from third party Chinese app stores or texts from random russions. Its that easy.

tappin and a talkin

Agreed (bold), however the pre-installed bloatware uses far more resources than a single app for virus protection. Of course I do not have a lab to run tests to back this up, just practical experience.

Agreed on the rest, especially the Task Killers. Verizon and HTC tell us that Froyo comes with this feature, but it is not listed anywhere, most likely embedded in the O/S. This does not change the fact that the bloat runs even when you kill it manually, stealing precious resources. I do use Lookout, and it has performed flawlessly to date.

 

[_internet_pirate_]

Here is where I have to say, while linux is byfar one of the more secure os'. I believe this to be becuaese a lack of use. 90% of the computers today are either running the latest windows or apple os. How many people do any of us know who runs linux or unix?

I am also a tech with most of my background in windows os. During school I learned about dos and hie to run commands and even compile small programs. Later in my 20's I got into the yahoo chat wars. Mostly script kiddie stuff running booters and knocking people off their yahoo clients. From there tho, I learned linux and the power it has. That 10% who use linux were the coders, the hackers, and crackers.

Since windows os seems to be the os in many homes, the coders concentrated on that. Why, would coders spend and waste time coding a virus/worm that will have minimal impact. That 10% of linux users and a handful of apple users just isn't what these guys want. They want mass infection.

So now after getting compromised by a stupid app in this android market. I got to learn a bunch about android and its os. I believe that once android reaches a point to where it is the phone of choice. More coders will concentrate on linux, specifically androids os. Malware is out there now. I found out the hard way. Hard resets are a pain in the bung-holio! And your provider will be no use in helping to fix a problem you may have. Verizon made me talk to customer support and all they did was try to sell me more minutes. Then after that, I get tech support who I again had to explain my problem. Again I got no where. Tech said I needed to hard reset before going any further. Told me to back up my phones and she would call to walk me through the reset. She never called!!!! So thanks to you guys and other boards like this I figured it out and it wasn't as bad as they explained.

At any rate. Do not think because these os' are built for linux that they are safe. Linux is the hackers play ground.