How valid is the threat of viruses?

[brando56894]

This Is What Root Means, Stop Asking

(not to be an a$$, thats what the threads called)

 

[BKS]

I imagine that all the apps available in the market are "pre-checked" for any possible issues. I tried to download an app from the web the other day and my Droid simply wouldn't let me. I think I'd need to go into settings and change something before I could do that.
If a virus or a worm was to infect your phone, my guess it would come from downloading an app off the open net.

 

[OldMan1955]

Thanks for the link to root, and thanks for the info on this issue. Its good to know that Google scans the apps for potential problems.

 

[djrakun]

I had a debate about this with a networking friend of mine.. I mentioned it was linux based and that on install you were informed about what the system needed access to so you could approve or decline.. He said what if your rooted.. I told him rooted apps still ask for confirmation and will every time unless you choose to remember..

I had to remember that if it were not for the 'what ifs' IT Security jobs would be extinct.. they make their money by putting fear into folks. So I simply told him to save the sales pitch for the customers because I wasnt going to buy it. Ive always believed in one constant.. If people what at your data they will get it even if they have to bang on your for months. That is part of the allure of hacking and exploit.. the challenge. If they want better data they need to attack google for the dashboard.

But in the end.. if you sleep better having system resources looking for a unicorn in a package then have at it

**Unicorn reference.. some say they exist.. some say no.. but nobody has ever really seen one.

If somebody didn't ask those 'what ifs' when they were designing your software, your phone woule be bricked beyond repair already. IT's sole purpose is to provide zero downtime for data flow. If they weren't trying to predict anomalous outcomes for any scenario, they wouldn't have designed failovers, flash recovery, antivirus, firewalls, to keep you happily doing whatever you do without interruption.

I'd wager to say the IT guys that say 'what if' are the good guys. Its the guys that just throw jargon at you when something goes wrong and ultimately resolve all issues with a reboot is what has likely stained your perception of that industry, but there are frauds like this in a lot of lines of work; most notably mechanics and doctors.

I'll just step down from this soapbox now

 

[djrakun]

Sorry to ask a dumb question, but what is rooted and unrooted?

Oh boy, you are going to get a lot of 'let me google that for you' replies if you ask .questions like this. I'll spare you this one time: rooting is the process of granting permissions to your protected system files to give you ultimate control over your device. It makes the impossible possible

 

[zakany]

If you're stock (unrooted) you chances of contracting a virus on your phone is nil. If you're rooted, your chances are almost nil.

An anti-virus program will likely cause more problems than a virus.