{"id":165968,"date":"2023-04-04T06:56:06","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T13:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=165968"},"modified":"2024-11-19T18:28:57","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T02:28:57","slug":"how-to-remove-viruses-from-your-android-phone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/mobile-security\/how-to-remove-viruses-from-your-android-phone\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Remove Viruses from Your Android Phone"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">So, can Android phones get viruses and malware? The answer is yes, and likewise you can do several things to spot and remove them from your phone.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A couple things make Android phones attractive to cyber criminals and scammers. First, they make up about half of all smartphones in the U.S. and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/272698\/global-market-share-held-by-mobile-operating-systems-since-2009\/#:~:text=Android%20maintained%20its%20position%20as,the%20mobile%20operating%20system%20market.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">roughly 71% worldwide<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">. Second, while its operating system gives users the flexibility to install apps from multiple apps markets, it also makes the operating system more vulnerable to tampering by bad actors. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Also,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> Android has a more fragmented ecosystem with multiple device manufacturers <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">and different versions<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> of the operating system. As a result, each may have different securi<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">ty updates<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">consistency <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">will vary<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> depending<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> on the carrier or <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">manufacturer,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> which can <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">make <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Android phones more vulnerable to threats.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">So, just like computers and laptops, Android phones are susceptible to attack. And when you consider how much of our lives we keep on our phones, the importance of protecting them can\u2019t be overstated. Steps truly are called for. With a look at how viruses and malware end up on Androids, you\u2019ll see that you have several ways of keeping you and your phone safe.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">The top culprit: Malicious Android apps<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">When it comes to viruses and malware on Android phones, malicious apps are often to blame. They\u2019ll disguise themselves in many ways, such as utility apps, wallpaper apps, games, photo editors, and so on. Once installed, they\u2019ll unleash their payload, which can take several forms:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Adware <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">that floods your phone with pop-ups and clicker malware that simulates clicking on ads, which generates ad revenue for views and clicks on ads\u2014and which can steal personal information as well.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Spyware <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">that tracks your activity and can potentially harvest personal information like usernames and passwords.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Billing and subscription fraud<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, which uses several types of tricks to overcharge for services or subscribe to other services that you don\u2019t want. In some cases, an app will offer a free trial and then charge excessive subscription fees after the trial ends.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Banking trojans<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> that use sophisticated techniques to skim login credentials or hijack sessions, which then let bad actors steal money from your accounts.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">CoinStealers and<\/span><\/b> <b><span data-contrast=\"none\">fake wallets<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> can steal your crypto wallet credentials or seed and take control of the funds.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Ransomware and phone locker attacks<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, while less common, lock away personal info and files on the phone then demand payment for them to be released (payment being no guarantee that the hacker will actually unlock the phone).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Google Play does its part to keep its virtual shelves free of malware-laden apps with a thorough submission process as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/security.googleblog.com\/2021\/04\/how-we-fought-bad-apps-and-developers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">reported by Google<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\"> and through its App Defense Alliance that shares intelligence across a network of partners, of which we\u2019re a proud member. Further, users also have the option of running <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/googleplay\/answer\/2812853\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Play Protect<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\"> to check apps for safety before they\u2019re downloaded.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Yet, bad actors find ways to sneak malware into the store. Sometimes they upload an app that\u2019s initially clean and then push the malware to users as part of an update. Other times, they\u2019ll embed the malicious code so that it only triggers once it\u2019s run in certain countries. They will also encrypt <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">malicious <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">code in the app that they submit, which can make it difficult for reviewers to sniff out.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Beyond Google Play, Android allows users to download apps from third-party app stores, which may or may not have a thorough app submission process in place. Moreover, some third-party app stores are actually fronts for organized cybercrime gangs, built specifically to distribute malware.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How do I know if my Android phone has a virus or is infected? <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You might spot the signs rather quickly. Sometimes, you might not. Some malware can make your phone run poorly, which may indicate a technical issue, yet it can also be a symptom of a hacked phone. Others work quietly in the background without you knowing it. Either way, both cases provide good reasons to run regular scans on your phone.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Let\u2019s look at some possible signs:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sluggish performance, battery drain, and a hot phone <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Malware has a way of taking up resources and eating up battery life as it furiously does its work in the background. For example, adware or clicker malware can hijack your phone and tap the central processing unit to run the complex calculations needed to mine cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, thus putting high stress on your device. In a way, it\u2019s like having a second person using your phone at the same time as you are. This can make your phone hot to the touch, like it\u2019s been sitting in the sun, because the stress malware puts on your phone could cause it to overheat.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Popup ads suddenly appear on your phone. <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Adware is annoying as it sounds, and potentially even more malicious in nature. If popup ads suddenly pepper your phone, it may be malware that distributes ads without your consent, which can generate revenue for rogue developers (they can get paid per view and per click). Worse yet, adware can also collect personal information and browsing history from your phone, which bad actors can then sell\u2014a major invasion of your privacy.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Mysterious apps, calls, calendar events or texts crop up in your history. <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A potential telltale sign that your phone has been compromised is the appearance of new apps that you didn\u2019t download, along with spikes in data usage that you can\u2019t account for. Likewise, if you see calls in your phone&#8217;s history that you didn\u2019t make, that\u2019s a warning as well.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You run out of data or see unknown charges appear on your bill. <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Like an overdraft statement or seeing a suspicious charge your bank statement, this is a possible sign of malware installed on your device and is using it to perform subscriptions scam or premium SMS messages to unsolicited services.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How to avoid malware and viruses on your Android phone<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Broadly, you can take two big steps toward keeping you and your phone safer from attack. The first is to keep a critical eye open as you use your phone. Malware authors rely on us to trust what we see a little too quickly, such as when it comes time to download that new app or tap on a link in a phishing email that looks legitimate, yet most certainly isn\u2019t upon closer inspection. Slow down and scrutinize what you see. If something seems fishy, don\u2019t tap or interact with it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The second big step is to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/antivirus\/mobile.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">use online protection software on your Android phone<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. In addition to providing strong antivirus protection and removal, it has further features that protect you against identity theft, online scams, and other mobile threats\u2014including credit card and bank fraud, malicious texts, sketchy links, and bogus QR codes.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With that, here are a few more steps you can take:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Update your phone\u2019s operating system<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Along with installing security software, keeping your phone\u2019s operating system up to date can greatly improve your security. Updates can fix vulnerabilities that hackers rely on to pull off their malware-based attacks. It\u2019s another tried and true method of keeping yourself safe\u2014and for keeping your phone running great too.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Avoid third-party app stores.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> As mentioned above, Google Play has measures in place to review and vet apps to help ensure that they are safe and secure. Third-party sites may very well not, and they may intentionally host malicious apps as part of a front. Further, Google is quick to remove malicious apps from their store once discovered, making shopping there safer still.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Review apps carefully.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Check out the developer\u2014have they published several other apps with many downloads and good reviews? A legit app typically has quite a few reviews, whereas malicious apps may have only a handful of (phony) five-star reviews. Lastly, look for typos and poor grammar in both the app description and screenshots. They could be a sign that a hacker slapped the app together and quickly deployed it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Go with a strong recommendation.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Yet better than combing through user reviews yourself is getting a recommendation from a trusted source, like a well-known publication or from app store editors themselves. In this case, much of the vetting work has been done for you by an established reviewer. A quick online search like \u201cbest fitness apps\u201d or \u201cbest apps for travelers\u201d should turn up articles from legitimate sites that can suggest good options and describe them in detail before you download.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Keep an eye on app permissions.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Another way hackers weasel their way into your device is by getting permissions to access things like your location, contacts, and photos\u2014and they\u2019ll use malicious apps to do it. If an app asks for way more than you bargained for, like a simple game wanting access to your camera or microphone, it may be a scam. Delete the app.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stay on guard against mobile malware<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Scammers have put Android phones in their crosshairs. And for some time now. While phishing emails and smishing texts with sketchy links persists as avenues of attack, a popular form of attack comes by way of malicious app downloads. One reason why is that malicious apps disguise themselves so well, as a utility or game you really want on your phone. You\u2019re more apt to tap \u201cInstall\u201d when you\u2019re actively shopping for an app than to tap on a link in an unsolicited email or text.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yet as with so many of today\u2019s online attacks, a combination of good sense and strong online protection software can prevent viruses and malware from ending up on your phone. Slowing down and putting preventative measures in place goes a long way toward keeping what\u2019s arguably your most important device far more secure.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So, can Android phones get viruses and malware? The answer is yes, and likewise you can do several things to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":165984,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670,1838],"tags":[15768,15767],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-165968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-mobile-security","tag-how-to-clean-your-phone-from-a-virus","tag-remove-viruses"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Spot and Remove Viruses from Your Android Phone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So, can Android phones get viruses and malware? 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