Question

How do I Check for Malware on my Android?

Hello everyone, I use to operate windows and now I want to check for malware on my Android. So can anyone have any idea how do I check for malware on my Android?

Miller 1   Ans 5 months ago
Answer - 1
Answer Link

Check for Malware on my Android Issue

Is virus attacking your device repeatedly? Are you looking for malware protection or some way to get rid of malware that has attacked your smartphone, then you have made the right choice by clicking on this link as here we will help you diagnose and remove malware from your Android device. 

The initial part of this article will cover different types of malware and how to check for malware. The other part tells you how to get rid of malware that is causing your device to behave abnormally.

Part 1: Different types of smartphone viruses

There are various kinds of viruses that can attack your mobile device. Some of the common viruses causing major impact on your device are stated below:

  • Worms: One of the most common and aggressive forms of virus that can create a major impact on your Android smartphone is worms. They are dangerous because they can reproduce themselves up to an unlimited number. These kinds of viruses don't require any kind of user interaction to harm your device. They generally attack your device through digital media, MMS, SMS. 
  • Spyware: The spyware is particularly created to pick up details from your smartphone and send it back to the command and control server. This kind of virus enters your Android device through legit applications.Cyber Criminals try to get to the users by making them install such applications. If you install such apps on your smartphone, then begin to record all the messages, passwords, usernames, application activity and keys you press. 
  • Trojans: This malicious program  infects your device once you install a legit application on it. They can only infect your device after being installed. If you activate them, then a risk will lurk upon other apps as they can get deactivated. Moreover, this kind of virus may lock your mobile device for some time. 
  • Ransomware: This is a very dangerous kind of malware program, which encrypts and locks all your crucial files and documents, which does not allow the user to access all the important files and folders. Almost every user stores important information on his or her smartphone, therefore the pay charged is quite high. 

How to Check for Malware? 

Do you wanna know how malicious programs infect your smartphone? If yes, then take a good look down below. 

Malvertisements: This practice involves adding viruses in advertisements . Just by clicking on such ad, your mobile device can get infected by malware. 

Infected apps: There are several applications that get packaged with the virus and get distributed through the app store.  Hackers and other cyber criminals design unique applications for tricking users to install them.

Direct to device download:  This kind of device infection has very little possibility of happening. In order to infect a device with such kinds of virus, the hacker needs to connect the target device to some other device. 

Scam: This kind of malware arises when the URL of infected web pages is sent to the users. Just by visiting that page can download a virus on your Android smartphone. 

How to Remove Virus from your Android Smartphone?

If you have installed an antivirus program on your Android phone, then that is the best way to safeguard your device from virus attacks. If by any chance the antivirus program you downloaded turns out to be ineffective, then you must carry out the steps to manually remove the virus infecting your system. 

Step 1: The first thing that you need to do is to put your Android device on Safe Mode. This will stop all the apps that are running on your mobile phone and will automatically stop malware. There are a few Android smartphones, which enable you to restart in Safe-Mode. 

Step 2: After activating Safe Mode on your device, launch Settings, Apps, and then downloaded apps. Start searching the apps that you don’t find there. The best thing that you can do here is to first search for those applications that you installed before your smartphone started behaving abnormally. 

Step 3: After you are done locating all the apps, select the option of Uninstall. Sometimes, the virus deactivates the button of uninstall. If such a thing happens to you, then the first thing that you need to do is to select Settings, Security and then Device Administrators. 

Check if the app you are looking for is in the list that you see there. In case you find it there, then select the option of Deactivate in order to remove the privileges to access. Go back to the section of Downloaded Apps. Now, you will be able to tap on the Uninstall button. 

In case you perform the steps given above but still all your efforts go futile, then you may have to go for the option of Factory Reset. But if you go for this option, then all your precious data including your apps will get removed from the phone. Therefore,it is recommended for you to create a backup before you go for a factory reset. 

Factory Reset your Android Phone

Step 1: The first thing that you need to do is to navigate to Settings, then Backup and Reset. After that, go to Factory Data Reset. 

Step 2: Enter the password and then select Continue. 

Step 3: Restart your Android device. 

Step 4: Now, do restoration of the backup that you just created prior to the installation of the application that is creating issues because of malware.

Ron Wagner 12 June 2021