Get it for PC , Android , Mac. Get it for Mac , Android , PC. Get it for Android , PC , Mac. Unusual behavior and unfamiliar apps are the two biggest warning signs of phone viruses and other malware. These signs will tell you if your iPhone or Android device has a phone virus. Adware pop-ups: Most ads can easily be blocked by using an ad blocker or with a privacy-optimized browser like AVG Secure Browser , which comes with a built-in ad blocker. Excessive app crashing: Many apps crash periodically, but if your apps start crashing regularly for seemingly no reason, your phone could be infected with malware.
Increased data usage: If you notice a sudden spike in data usage, that could be a sign that malware is running background tasks on your device or transmitting information or background data from your phone.
Remove the phone virus to help control your mobile data usage. Unexplained phone bill increases: Some malware strains attack by sending premium-rate SMS messages from your phone, causing your phone bill to skyrocket.
Ztorg Trojans were found doing this in , in addition to deleting incoming messages. Your friends receive spam messages: Some malicious software can hijack your messenger service and spam all your contacts with infected links.
If your contacts tell you they received a weird message from your accounts, investigate right away. Fake apps are a common symptom of malware on Android phones, and they should be uninstalled immediately. An anti-malware phone scanner will take care of this in a few quick taps.
Faster battery drain: Malware mischief can use up a lot of energy, rapidly depleting your Android or iPhone battery. If your battery is dying faster than usual, malware might be the cause. But Android devices are vulnerable to other types of malware that can cause even more chaos on your phone.
From malicious adware to spying apps and even Android ransomware , Android threats are widespread. One of the reasons Android phones are susceptible to malware is because Android struggles with updates. Updates are important because they often contain critical security fixes to bugs or other vulnerabilities found in the operating system OS.
Sourcing apps from third-party sources also increases the risk of accidentally installing malware. But while iPhones are less vulnerable to malware than Androids, there are other security threats you should watch out for. Phishing attacks and unsafe Wi-Fi networks are just two of the various threats that can affect your iPhone or iPad. But even without jailbreaking your phone, iPhone users are still vulnerable to other serious security threats — like identity theft. A well-known iPhone hack installed spyware known as Pegasus that can steal tons of personal data and turn your phone into a permanent surveillance device.
Avast Mobile Security for iOS goes way beyond antivirus or malware protection, keeping you safe every time you go online with free, innovative tools specially designed for your iPhone and iPad. Increase your data usage and rack up unexpected charges by sending spam or premium SMS messages, or subscribing you to unauthorized or premium apps or services. Record phone conversations and send them to hackers. Notice one or all of these signs in your phone? Act immediately! Get the best free antivirus scan and removal for your phone.
You can still remedy this problem if you act immediately. Follow these steps in running a virus or malware scan on your phone. If you want one of the best free antivirus scanner for your phone, Bitdefender is a great choice. You will have to run a scan manually or schedule an automatic scan. If you want another free antivirus scanner, Avast is also a reputable antivirus brand. The best feature that it has is that you can block spam and unwanted calls. It protects your phone from spyware, adware, and other types of mobile malware.
And if your phone gets stolen, you can track its location and take a snapshot of the person holding your device. As a passionate writer and the greatest geek on the team, I focus on the more technical articles of this site. Restarting your phone in safe mode prevents all third-party apps from running, including malware. Some Android phones will let you reboot in safe mode, while others need a few extra steps to get there.
On many devices, you can access safe mode by holding down the power button as though you were planning to turn your phone off. Long-press the Power off option for a second or two. The best place to start is with the apps that were installed immediately before your phone began acting strangely.
Navigate through your security settings to find a list of apps with device administrator permissions. Once there, see if the troublemaker app is featured on the list. If it is, uncheck the box, then select Deactivate this device administrator to remove its access privileges. Now, return to the app in Downloaded Apps. The Uninstall button should be tappable now, so go ahead and send that app packing.
If not, you may need to repeat this process, this time uninstalling a different app, or consider a full factory reset. If both the above methods fail to resolve your issue, you can reset your phone back to its original factory settings. Now tap Reset device. Enter your passcode to continue, then tap Erase everything. In the screenshot below, the user is asked to enter a generic access code, because there is no password enabled on this example device you should always password-protect your personal mobile, though!
After the factory reset is complete, your phone will restart and take you through its initial setup procedures. To learn more about mobile malware, check out our dedicated article about viruses and other malware on phones. Rather, Android malware usually comes in the form of malicious apps that can steal your data, spy on you, damage your device, or cause other issues. Before smartphones became the ubiquitous companions they are today, the cell phone virus was considered somewhat of a myth.
This illusion of safety was shattered in after hacker group 29A created the Cabir mobile phone worm and sent it as a proof of concept to several professional cybersecurity labs. Some of these include:. CommWarrior : a worm that resets the phone on the 14th of every month. Skull imagery installs as a theme package, but the file goes on to disable programs and applications. It also turns all the icons on the phone into Jolly Roger or jigsaw images.
Many malware threats have emerged since smartphones have grown in popularity, and more continue to surface every day. Cybercriminals are constantly innovating new methods to trick users into installing their malware. Take an active role in your digital security by learning more about how these threats work, and what you can do to protect against them. Android malware comes in many varieties, each with its own quirks and preferred entry vectors. Here are some of the most common types of Android malware:.
This type of malware is designed to stealthily glean information from your phone and transmit it back to the hacker. Cybercriminals disguise their spyware as legit applications, which is how they attempt to trick you into installing it. As the name implies, ransomware blocks access to your device or your data, holding it hostage in exchange for a hefty fee.
Though the temptation to liberate your device and files is understandable, you should never pay a ransomware cybercriminal. Instead, try and remove the ransomware from your Android device and then restore an earlier backup. Worms are the most aggressive type of Android malware.
Designed to endlessly replicate and spread , worms are autonomous and can operate without any user interaction. Trojans act as legitimate applications and infect your phone once the app has been installed.
Unlike worms, Trojans need a user to install them before they can carry out their actions. Once activated, Trojans can install additional malware, deactivate other applications, record your personal data, or lock up your phone for a certain period of time. Users can simply drag and drop their files, and a report will be compiled in a few seconds. So if you ever feel suspicious about something online, this is a great tool to have at your disposal.
VirusTotal is another alternative that works similarly to the previous one. It analyzes your APK files and helps to detect all kinds of viruses and malware that may be present. The service is easy to use: just upload your files to make sure they are bug-free. It can be downloaded from the Play Store for free. Additionally, you may want to consider installing an antivirus app on your Android device.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and European users agree to the data transfer policy. Alexandra is passionate about mobile tech and can be often found fiddling with a smartphone from some obscure company. She kick-started her career in tech journalism in , after working a few years as a middle-school teacher. Constantly driven by curiosity, Alexandra likes to know how things work and to share that knowledge with everyone.
Which takes any app you have. Go to av-test. Not a bad article but woefully inadequate and incomplete. It's also the most comprehensive malware protection available for Android and it's free.
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