Security on smartphone it came with mcaffee

[GunsForBucks]

It seems like all apps, even if they say "free", are only free trials and they drain you after that.

Are there any really free ones? even Malwarebytes was pay with a 14 day trial

Additionally what would the best option be?

Looked at malwarebytes and AVG so far

[Supafly]

If they are free they are getting paid in some way. Could be harvesting your data or if it came with your device they got paid something like 10% of retail cost to preload it...Norton and Mcaffee are often the choice for this. 1 comes with my Samsung phone and I refuse to the junk.

Use Malwarebytes as a free user. No main features but you can run it on demand whenever you want. Don't visit sketchy places online and Windows Defender should be fine, with Malwarebytes to scan downloaded files before you do anything with them, as I mentioned earlier

[A&A]

You don't really need AV for smartphone, unless your usecase requires it.

[PopinFRESH]

https://www.eset.com/us/home/mobile-security-android/

[GunsForBucks]

Originalmente postado por Supafly:

If they are free they are getting paid in some way. Could be harvesting your data or if it came with your device they got paid something like 10 of retail cost to preload it...Norton and Mcaffee are often the choice for this. 1 comes with my Samsung phone and I refuse to the junk.

Use Malwarebytes as a free user. No main features but you can run it on demand whenever you want. Don't visit sketchy places online and Windows Defender should be fine, with Malwarebytes to scan downloaded files before you do anything with them, as I mentioned earlier

It has defender built in? I don't need to do anything?

I have a samsung also

I don't go to skechy sites I have my own audio and video files I put on it so I don't stream anything.

So Malwarebytes I can just use and uninstall then use as needed? I don't have to jump hoops to unsubscribe or something?

[GunsForBucks]

Originalmente postado por A&A:

You don't really need AV for smartphone, unless your usecase requires it.

Well it is for 2fa and making accounts that require a phone

So is that a use case? I think that is fairly normal.

I don't do anything like national security.

[Supafly]

Originalmente postado por GunsForBucks:

Originalmente postado por Supafly:

If they are free they are getting paid in some way. Could be harvesting your data or if it came with your device they got paid something like 10 of retail cost to preload it...Norton and Mcaffee are often the choice for this. 1 comes with my Samsung phone and I refuse to the junk.

Use Malwarebytes as a free user. No main features but you can run it on demand whenever you want. Don't visit sketchy places online and Windows Defender should be fine, with Malwarebytes to scan downloaded files before you do anything with them, as I mentioned earlier

It has defender built in? I don't need to do anything?

I have a samsung also

I don't go to skechy sites I have my own audio and video files I put on it so I don't stream anything.

So Malwarebytes I can just use and uninstall then use as needed? I don't have to jump hoops to unsubscribe or something?

Sorry my usual copy/paste, should have edited the Windows part out for smart phones. You really shouldn't need anything, I have Mc with my Samsung and I've never enable that junk. I've not used anything on my phone at all. If I had reason to I'd just use MalwareBytes like I would on PC

[PopinFRESH]

Originalmente postado por GunsForBucks:

Originalmente postado por Supafly:

If they are free they are getting paid in some way. Could be harvesting your data or if it came with your device they got paid something like 10 of retail cost to preload it...Norton and Mcaffee are often the choice for this. 1 comes with my Samsung phone and I refuse to the junk.

Use Malwarebytes as a free user. No main features but you can run it on demand whenever you want. Don't visit sketchy places online and Windows Defender should be fine, with Malwarebytes to scan downloaded files before you do anything with them, as I mentioned earlier

It has defender built in? I don't need to do anything?

I have a samsung also

I don't go to skechy sites I have my own audio and video files I put on it so I don't stream anything.

So Malwarebytes I can just use and uninstall then use as needed? I don't have to jump hoops to unsubscribe or something?

I don’t think they read the part where you are talking about an android phone. It obviously doesn’t have Windows defender built in.

Personally I’d recommend getting the premium subscription for home security from eset which if I recall correctly comes with 2 devices and you can use it for desktop and mobile. So you can license your desktop/laptop PC and your android phone.

But if all you want is av scanning you can use their free mobile license version.

[A&A]

Originalmente postado por GunsForBucks:

Well it is for 2fa and making accounts that require a phone

So is that a use case? I think that is fairly normal.

I don't do anything like national security.

Well, you don't really need something that special.

Google play protect is basically AV which is in every android but it can only scan apps. It's not very good, but it's good enough if you're going to use apps from trusted sources and developers.

The only advantage of a third party AV is that it gives you access to another database and scans your application, including all your files that you have access to, but you can't scan the OS and stuff. Android has a lot of permission protections.

[_I_]

just use the phone settings
set default to block access to storage, mic, contact, calendar, camera, etc..
then after you install something, ti will ask for access to what it needs, and you can allow it, or uninstall

[PopinFRESH]

Originalmente postado por _I_:

just use the phone settings
set default to block access to storage, mic, contact, calendar, camera, etc..
then after you install something, ti will ask for access to what it needs, and Lou can allow it, or uninstall

That is… assuming the app you are referring to isn’t malicious and is only using the OSes apis for those features…

Certainly there is no such thing as potential exploits which require no user action at all 🙄

[GunsForBucks]

On Samsung phones it kind of forced the samsung software on it

I guess it is important for things like phone updates but it comes and does some annoying stuff.

It seems like all or nothing software though.

Do you keep the samsung stuff on the phone or do you opt out of it?

[[☥] - CJ -]

Originalmente postado por PopinFRESH:

Originalmente postado por _I_:

just use the phone settings
set default to block access to storage, mic, contact, calendar, camera, etc..
then after you install something, ti will ask for access to what it needs, and Lou can allow it, or uninstall

That is… assuming the app you are referring to isn’t malicious and is only using the OSes apis for those features…

Certainly there is no such thing as potential exploits which require no user action at all 🙄

Which is why Android allows more control over what app does what these days, which is what hes referring to.

With that said, AV apps are hit or miss and tend to be a waste of money or battery for the most part.

[_I_]

Originalmente postado por PopinFRESH:

Originalmente postado por _I_:

just use the phone settings
set default to block access to storage, mic, contact, calendar, camera, etc..
then after you install something, ti will ask for access to what it needs, and Lou can allow it, or uninstall

That is… assuming the app you are referring to isn’t malicious and is only using the OSes apis for those features…

Certainly there is no such thing as potential exploits which require no user action at all 🙄

and google is pretty good about removing apps and devs that dont follow their rules

[GunsForBucks]

I was noticing it showed number of downloads.
I guess it is fairly safe using ones that have that much use as someone would notice and report it.

Well anything that isn't approved anyway.

[Supafly]

Originalmente postado por GunsForBucks:

On Samsung phones it kind of forced the samsung software on it

I guess it is important for things like phone updates but it comes and does some annoying stuff.

It seems like all or nothing software though.

Do you keep the samsung stuff on the phone or do you opt out of it?

If you don't have App Protection enabled in Security/Device Care or where ever it is (software version) then McSucky does nothing. I've never turned that on and I've used Samsung Phones and Tablets for over a decade.