Viruses on Your Smartphone - How to Detect and Remove Them?

Viruses written specifically for Android smartphones are becoming widespread among Android OS users. The problem is so wide that Google has added a special algorithm to the marketplace that checks new apps for malware. It is difficult to say how well the new protection works. However, we know how to save your device from them. So, let’s start.

Viruses for Android can be safely divided into four main groups:

1. Viruses that share your data to the makers of the virus. Photos, videos, personal correspondence on social networks - everything can become the property of the general public. Or you can end up in the database of an attacker who uses personal data for reselling it to third parties.

2. Viruses that steal credit card data. This type of virus diligently rummages in the phone's memory in search of branded banking software. And it tries to extract the password from the contents of the phone, transferring all the accumulated funds to the hackers. Sometimes this process looks like intercepting your password at the moment you enter it on the screen - that is why you should NEVER install "keyboard" applications from unknown sources.

3. Viruses that install the software you don't need or constantly show various advertisements. They broke your digital security and run ads on your phone. Here the maker of the virus earns on each ad you’ve seen. The main problem of this type of virus that it will always send you pushup spam messages (even at night!). 

4. Viruses that empty the balance of your mobile account by sending SMS to short numbers or calling paid phone numbers. Here, the author of the virus does not receive the entire amount at once, but only a percentage of each "forced" payment.

How to understand if a virus has appeared on your phone?

To identify malware on a smartphone you will need to spend some time because the creators of such applications make every effort to “hide” malware from your eyes. However, there are some “signs” which will help you to identify if your phone is infected with a virus:

• If small amounts of money often disappear from the phone account (or everything that was on the balance). The details of your mobile account will help to determine the presence of a virus. You can view it either online, in your account (on the operator's website), or by visiting one of the sales offices, where you can order such a printout. If calls and SMS to short numbers appear on the bill, it's time to install an antivirus and get rid of the malicious application;

• A notification about a transfer that you did not order is the first and most alarming sign that your smartphone has a virus. The most important thing in this situation is to react as quickly as possible. First of all, go to the online banking system using a computer and check the balance - at the slightest suspicion, it is better to immediately block the card. 

Remember that it is very difficult to get back a stolen card while re-issuing a blocked card will be much faster. Note that some types of banking viruses for phones immediately delete SMS from the bank so that you don't see the balance change until it's too late. This is another sign that something is wrong with the phone - when the ordered SMS authorizations in the bank no longer arrive, there is reason to worry;

• If your friends on social networks and messengers receive suspicious messages from “you”. When the phone is engaged in a mass mailing that was not written by you at all, there is a virus on your phone;

• If unexpected ads appear on the lock screen, and pop-ups appear on browser pages there is no reason for suspicion - everything is already completely unambiguous, it's time to clean the phone from viruses.

Important! If you use your phone for gambling online, always use antivirus software during the game or play only on a trusted online casino USA. You need to check the complete security standards of the website before playing online.

How to get rid of the viruses on your smartphone?

As a rule, users use ESET NOD32 Mobile Security, Avast, 360 Security, and AVG. These antivirus apps will help in cleaning the phone from malware - their capabilities are about the same and the choice here depends solely on personal preferences.

Install at least two anti-virus applications (since one can find malware which another app cannot detect). The only thing that absolutely must not be done is to run two checks in two different antiviruses at the same time. However, if you do so most likely your phone will freeze or reboot. After the scan is finished and the virus is removed, restart your smartphone and run the scan again to get rid of hidden processes and virus software remnants.