We all used to the fact that malware only affects the PC, but the more smartphones develop, the more viruses appear for them.
Android viruses and growing number of victims show that you shouldn’t protect only your PC with antivirus. Downloading apps from reliable sources (like Google Play Store or Amazon app) can’t guarantee a protection of your personal life anymore. Malware for Android is evolving every day and it may lead to huge consequences, as the phone is always with you. It can track where are you going, where is your home and when you are not there, that gives criminals an opportunity to steal not just your data but rob your home. Forewarned is forearmed, we have started a new category on our blog – Malware on Android.
Firstly let’s figure out what malware is.
Malware, short for malicious software, is any program or file that is harmful to a user’s device. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware. It was created for one goal – to make money on you.
It can damage your device, get access to your personal information (including bank account and personal data) or encrypt all files.
TYPES OF MALWARE ON ANDROID:
» Ransomware
The most popular type of virus now. Everyone has already heard about WannaCry, Petya, Spora and other ransomware. But they infecting only PCs, you may say. Unfortunately, you are wrong.
The biggest Android attack was in 2014. UK and USA users received a message from allegedly FBI, that saying about an illegal activity on this phone with a list of violated federal laws. To unlock the phone you had to pay a fine. For Russians was another scheme – a pop-up on Google Play, that was asking a banking card information to purchase apps.
It looked like a legitimate page on a trusted source, but it wasn’t. Such type of viruses appears regularly, but unfortunately, there are still a lot of people are caught on the hook. To be fear viruses becoming more unpredictable and refined so is it not so easy for a non-expert to define whether it is a malware or no. This is why antivirus is a necessity not only for PC but for your Android device also.
Wait for our next post about malware on Android. Believe me, you will be very surprised how your phone can be hacked without you even noticed it!
