is antivirus needed on a telephone - CNET Windows XP Forums

Answer Best answer as chosen by user rhodeyes1

It would seem to depend

by MarkFlax - 5/12/12 11:01 AM

In Reply to: is antivirus needed on a telephone by rhodeyes1

on the type of phone.

This article explains more http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/security/3319310/do-i-need-antivirus-software-for-my-smartphone/

You will see that a majority of threats comes form user installed apps, meaning that it is the user who installs malicious apps and so it is the user who allows malware into the phone.

As for AVG I am betting that it is running continuously in the background and so that is why the phone's battery does not last long between charges, so I would perhaps turn off the real-time scanner when the phone is not in use.

Mark

(Note reposted as my first post had too many errors).

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user rhodeyes1

by Jimmy Greystone - 5/12/12 11:13 AM

In Reply to: is antivirus needed on a telephone by rhodeyes1

No. That may change at some point, but those programs are just rather sad attempts by the AV industry to try and sucker a few people into buying their stuff.

As smartphones take on more and more computer-like functions, who knows, but right now the whole threat is blown way out of proportion. There have been what, maybe a dozen or so malicious programs found for Android, probably about as many for Apple, both of which pull the apps as soon as it becomes evident what is happening. I don't think Microsoft or Blackberry has been affected, but then they are such minor targets that there's no real profit to be made from it. And in the case of Blackberry, if I'm not mistaken, you have to pony up around $100 just to get the SDK to make an app. Android and iOS are free, provided you have a Mac at least for iOS. I don't know about the SDK for Windows Phone, but wouldn't be at all surprised if Microsoft tries to tie it in with VisualStudio which would certainly jack up the cost of even entering the market. I doubt the ROI would be sufficient, if it's even positive at all.

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