Virus Scanning on Smartphones?

[numbers123]

FSU knows everything, so I thought I would ask this question here as well as research out on the Internet/Verizon website. This morning, I got a "Klout" warning that I was not logged into Facebook and please provide my password. Haha - no way am I doing that. Especially since I don't know who or what a Klout app is. My phone was acting a big funky this morning and would hang up while in emails.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Is there a virus scanner for your phone?

[Prancer]

Do you have an Android phone? If yes, there are several virus scanners. Avast, F-Secure, Lookout, Kaspersky, Ikarus, Dr. Web and Zoner have all been found to be effective virus scanners in indenpendent tests. Others, not so much.

I use Lookout.

Another app you might want to get is Air Push Detector, which scans all of your apps for air push adware, a hidden add-on in some apps that cause ads to show up on your phone.

[aliceanne]

Apple phones are proprietary - you can't download anything on them unless it is a program they own or have licensed. That is how they prevent viruses.

[numbers123]

Do you have an Android phone? If yes, there are several virus scanners. Avast, F-Secure, Lookout, Kaspersky, Ikarus, Dr. Web and Zoner have all been found to be effective virus scanners in indenpendent tests. Others, not so much.

I use Lookout.

Another app you might want to get is Air Push Detector, which scans all of your apps for air push adware, a hidden add-on in some apps that cause ads to show up on your phone.

I installed Norton (free one) I am trying to purchase the entire package because of some of the features but stupid Verizon idiot screwed up my gmail account associated with the phone so I have to wait until they reset it or verify that it is me trying to do something on my phone. I did download Look-out, Thanks

I am not an Apple fan, probably will never be. Plus I assume you can get viruses from your email and websites that you visit even on the Apple stuff. Which is where I think it might be happening.

So far, scan show nothing but I am glad that I asked.

[Anita18]

Klout is a stupid service/app that purports to measure your "worthiness" or level of influence on various social media sites. It was hot a few months ago, but is generally thought of as insipid now. So it's not a virus - just an overly enthusiastic service. It wouldn't surprise me if they were soliciting people in such ways now.

[Anita18]

I installed Norton (free one) I am trying to purchase the entire package because of some of the features but stupid Verizon idiot screwed up my gmail account associated with the phone so I have to wait until they reset it or verify that it is me trying to do something on my phone. I did download Look-out, Thanks

I am not an Apple fan, probably will never be. Plus I assume you can get viruses from your email and websites that you visit even on the Apple stuff. Which is where I think it might be happening.

So far, scan show nothing but I am glad that I asked.

On Apple iPhones, if it's not approved, it won't run. Obviously not applicable for jail broken phones though.

In Apple's case, if you want to run any new program, they'll ask you for your admin password. On Windows, they just ask for an "OK," which pops up all the time and people might not think twice about. If you don't recognize the program name (or if you know you didn't ask to run anything), then you can just press "cancel" and it won't run.

It's just another measure of security Macs have that PCs do not.

[numbers123]

Thanks for the information on Klout.
I understand the APP store stuff on I-phones, but if you use the phone whether it is an I-phone or other phone as a method of reading the web, posting on websites, looking at website, reading your email (and clicking on a link or opening an attachment) I assume you can still get a virus. Until recently I never downloaded apps. I wasn't worried about the apps - the other stuff, websites, emails, etc.

[Prancer]

In Apple's case, if you want to run any new program, they'll ask you for your admin password. On Windows, they just ask for an "OK," which pops up all the time and people might not think twice about. If you don't recognize the program name (or if you know you didn't ask to run anything), then you can just press "cancel" and it won't run.

If you are a smart Windows user, however, you never get on the internet on an admin account. If you use a user account, you are unable to download anything without entering the admin password.

Thanks for the information on Klout.
I understand the APP store stuff on I-phones, but if you use the phone whether it is an I-phone or other phone as a method of reading the web, posting on websites, looking at website, reading your email (and clicking on a link or opening an attachment) I assume you can still get a virus. Until recently I never downloaded apps. I wasn't worried about the apps - the other stuff, websites, emails, etc.

You aren't likely to get viruses on your phone from anything other than apps. Internet viruses aren't programmed for phones.

Since Android is open, however, there are a lot of apps with viruses and malware, and you should be very careful about the apps you download. A lot of them also have Air Push ads.