Avast WEBforum
Other => General Topics => Topic started by: SUSZANNAH on October 01, 2010, 02:05:39 AM
-
Hi all, not sure if this has been covered elsewhere, but have HTC Desire on Android 2.2 and was wondering if Avast is supporting this, would happily pay for it, if it is available......
regards susz
-
I don't believe Android is supported, check the avast! 4 for PDA board http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=7.0 (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=7.0)
-
hi David, long time no speak, hope you are doing ok!!
looks like i am out of luck on this, pity really, Avast could make a bomb supporting Android, and people would pay for it, me included...........
sure Android will beat iphone soon lol
-
Welcomet back SUSZANNAH :)
-
Hi Tech, nice to hear from you, hope you are doing ok and thank you.......see if you can get Avast to sort this out :)
-
I'm doing fine thanks, hopefully the same for you.
Yes, I to think avast could do with supporting the various PDAs, as they do seem to be getting much more popular. I don't know how difficult it would be to port the existing PDA support to a different mobile OS. But rather than develop that market it would seem to be the opposite, which is a shame.
-
yes agree, have had smartphones for years but this one is the ultimate, and taking me ages to suss it out, so many apps available need something to check them out.....
been a while since i was here, trying to sort out the colour scheme don't like the orange at all, really hard on the eyes....... :)
-
I have never purchased a smartphone my phones in the past have just been to make calls and the very occasional text, etc. So I have never felt the need and the cost is an issue as well as security. But they are becoming very much more powerful and useful with the wide range of apps which would make it more cost effective.
-
Hi SUSZANNAH,
I recently started testing out smart phones, android and iPhones included. I also learned that you do need AV protection and there is an excellent market out there for AV companies to develop in this area as I discussed this with several other Evang., however it seems like the AV companies are not working in this area because they are too busy in getting the PC AV (esp. 64-bit) ready.
Many people are using smart phones now, and most companies are only offering them unless you get a pay-as-you-go phone. Unless you know the risks, which most do not, you are putting yourself, your Contacts, and what ever else you have on your phone at risk every time you turn the phone on or sync it to your PC.
There are only a few companies now that offer AV protection for android phones.
Symantec: http://www.usposttoday.com/android-anti-virus-software-of-symantec/ (http://www.usposttoday.com/android-anti-virus-software-of-symantec/) - plus article
Dr. Web:http://www.freedrweb.com/show/?i=1254&c=19&lng=en (http://www.freedrweb.com/show/?i=1254&c=19&lng=en)
Kaspersky: http://usa.kaspersky.com/products-services/home-computer-security/mobile-security (http://usa.kaspersky.com/products-services/home-computer-security/mobile-security) - AV with FW (paid)
I found with the androids that unless you dig deep into the phone, a lot of apps/processors are running all the time that you can disable if you don't need them to increase your battery life, and for better privacy.
Version 2.3 android has recently been released, and v. 4.2 on the iPhone was released for increased security, however we all know "malware inventors" are quicker than the fixes.
I hope this helps. :)
-
Hi all, not sure if this has been covered elsewhere, but have HTC Desire on Android 2.2 and was wondering if Avast is supporting this, would happily pay for it, if it is available......
regards susz
I currently sync a Motorola Droid to my desktops. Using an Android based Smartphone, you'll need certainly to take care with social engineering tricks vs treats, and apps that "phone home" with personal bits and pieces about your usage, location, etc., but since Android is Linux, viruses will be of little, to no concern.
An avast! product for an Android based smartphone, will probably be as popular as their Linux Edition. Unless you're running a mail server, and want to be a good citizen to your Windows based friends, the exercise would be of little interest to the Avast folks, I would expect. (Though you never know, "marketing" spawns some odd looking children sometimes.)
-----
More about the Android operating system in general:
Android relies on Linux version 2.6 for core system services such as security, memory management, process management, network stack, and driver model. The kernel also acts as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the rest of the software stack...
http://developer.android.com/guide/basics/what-is-android.html
And Android security specifically:
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/security/security.html
Edit:
Replaced a bad link.
-
Hi all, not sure if this has been covered elsewhere, but have HTC Desire on Android 2.2 and was wondering if Avast is supporting this, would happily pay for it, if it is available......
regards susz
I currently sync a Motorola Droid to my desktops. Using an Android based Smartphone, you'll need certainly to take care with social engineering tricks vs treats, and apps that "phone home" with personal bits and pieces about your usage, location, etc., but since Android is Linux, viruses will be of little, to no concern.
An avast! product for an Android based smartphone, will probably be as popular as their Linux Edition. Unless you're running a mail server, and want to be a good citizen to your Windows based friends, the exercise would be of little interest to the Avast folks, I would expect. (Though you never know, "marketing" spawns some odd looking children sometimes.)
-----
More about the Android operating system in general:
Android relies on Linux version 2.6 for core system services such as security, memory management, process management, network stack, and driver model. The kernel also acts as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the rest of the software stack...
http://developer.android.com/guide/basics/what-is-android.html
And Android security specifically:
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/security/security.html
Edit:
Replaced a bad link.
Sorry, but the "Linux has no viruses and is extremely secure" thing is a myth ;)
However, I don't think an AV is needed for smartphones...
-
off topic here somehow: ha the problem with Linux based system is a bit more complicated, there's of course the fact that Linux as a "1%" OS is not really targeted by the bad guys, but there's also the fact that, according to a few specialists, it's not easy to attack a Linux system, i.e. you can't trigger an executable as easily in Linux as you can in Windows, and even if triggered, chances are that it won't reach central and "vital" areas of the root partition.
-
avast should go for Android mobiles. i will be happy to pay for it . if they do so.
+1
Don't forgot, Androids require micro-SDHC cards (removable data) that can be infected and transferred to other devices. This can happen when a phone is returned and/or refurbished and resold. There are known cases of this happening unless the card is wiped clean.
There are also situations where if you are purchasing third-party apps. (non-MarketPlace) that have caused infections. Just several months ago:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/malware-infection-hits-russian-android-phones/ (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/malware-infection-hits-russian-android-phones/).
More malware news on Androids:
http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2010/08/11/pay-per-text-malware-hits-android-phones/ (http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2010/08/11/pay-per-text-malware-hits-android-phones/)
http://www.cio.com.au/article/360177/another_sms_trojan_appears_android_phones/ (http://www.cio.com.au/article/360177/another_sms_trojan_appears_android_phones/)
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367646,00.asp (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367646,00.asp)
Bottom line, be careful what you download and accept in messages; and if you buy a refurbished phone, insist on a NEW micro-SDHC card and I would definitely install AV software since you don't know what the previous owner did.
-
^,
That's a nice string of links, but, you apparently missed this one, and others like it, published about a week after Kaspersky's story broke...
Rumors of Android Viruses are False! Says McAfee
http://androidheadlines.com/2010/08/rumors-of-android-viruses-are-false-says-mcafee.html
Though not to miss a buck, I see that McAfee is introducing a program for Android phones. So, to address the OP's original question, I would suppose that avast! might do the same.
Regardless, as you, and others have said, you have to be careful with the apps you install. I certainly am...
Edit:
And BTW, for all...
There seems to be some confusion with the terms viruses and trojans in this thread. If you're unsure what you're talking about, here's just one primer to help you understand the differences:
What is the difference between viruses, worms, and Trojans?
http://service1.symantec.com/support/nav.nsf/docid/1999041209131106
-
iTunes malware - 10/05/10 [off-topic, but related to smart-phones]
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2010/10/05/malware_peddlers_target_itunes_users_with_bogus_e_mail_receipts (http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2010/10/05/malware_peddlers_target_itunes_users_with_bogus_e_mail_receipts) - confirmed with phone call to Apple Tech. Support
-
omg i have opened a can of worms lol !!!!
thank you all for your input and advice, SafeSurf if you could help with any info regarding how to stop running procesess i don't need or even know that are running i would appreciate it, need to charge phone every day and not using it that much!!
hmmmm maybe i should go back to 2 cans and a piece of string :)
-
hmmmm maybe i should go back to 2 cans and a piece of string :)
I thought of that myself some days ::knocking my head against a wall::
Right now I'm testing an iPhone4, so I don't have an Android in front of me, so I'm going from memory (I can only test 1 phone at a time). If you go into Settings, there should be something about what apps are running; if you can't find it, go through each one and you will eventually find it. I was really surprised to see which ones are automatically turned on! So I disabled everything except the ones I needed. As I recall, I had to click (touch) 2 or 3 screens to get to this...it's well hidden. Of course you could always download the > 230 pdf pages of instruction manual if they didn't include the CD with your phone like they did to me. >:( But I figured it out on my own plus more.
You can also get rid of the widgets that your vendor sends you (if they do) onto your other homepage to try and get you to buy stuff but pressing and holding down the widget until it changes color, then drag it down to the trash can at the bottom of the screen (it changes to a red color).
I don't know how long you have your phone set before it goes to sleep, but that may help keep your battery last longer too. When I initially got my phone, I did the full discharge/charge and that seems to help, but some say you really don't need to do that. But definitely turning off unneeded apps will help. I guess I'll have to get my hands on another Android if you need help. Let me know.
-
hi and thank you ...........finding that if i use it for a phone it lasts about 2 days before charging , if i try using apps it goes down real fast (back to cans and string again lol)
would like some help with the menu section, htc or android installed on the phone trials of games which i do not want, can't find a way to get rid of them ???
would love to get rid of the stocks app really don't need that on there....like a damn minefield in here lol
-
Hi SUSZANNAH,
Perhaps you can read through the User Manual for your phone: http://www.htc.com/europe/userguide.aspx?p_id=312 (http://www.htc.com/europe/userguide.aspx?p_id=312). Your answers should be there, and if not, you can contact their tech. support or the HTC forum.
I do know that with the unwanted app. on most HTC phones, you can hold the widget down and drag it down to the bottom which then changes to a red recycle bin. But try looking at the User Manual to be more specific for your phone and to answer all your questions. Let us know how you do. I do apologize for not having a phone in front of me but I can only test one at a time.
I also opened up a Smart Phone thread for general issues, security/malware, and updates/news on the Avast forum: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=65103.0 (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=65103.0). Feel free to contribute. Thanks. :)