Is Android Safe? Tips and tricks to be more widespread against viruses and malware through the Google Play Store. Here are the risks and why the safety factor is important.
The mobile world is divided into two major factions: Android and iOS. The Google operating system is now the most used in the world for smartphones, with a much greater spread than Apple. But is Android really safe?
Apps for downloading music and downloading wallpapers and backgrounds are often the first to hide viruses and malware spread on Android via the Play Store. The safety factor is not an element to be underestimated, and if you are thinking of switching to the operating system of the green robot, particular attention must be paid to this element during the purchase phase. Android is in fact a decidedly more open and customizable operating system than the opponent. Many prefer this side much more versatile, but often it is accompanied by some problems that can put even the most efficient top models, like the latest Samsung Galaxy S10 and Huawei P30, in crisis.
The security of Android is often put at risk by the so-called Trojan app, real traps present in the Play Store that can damage the operating system also putting at risk the user’s privacy (with a percentage of installation by users equal to 15%).
Is Android Safe? Risks and system flaws
Bugs and system problems happen even to the best, but Android is often at the center of various news and problems that go beyond an update error.
The main risk, as mentioned, is represented by the Google Play Store: in the virtual store to download applications there are many apps of every type thanks to a less iron control than the iOS App Store.
WhatsApp stickers, extensions and APKs to modify paid applications and much more: this factor certainly represents one of the strengths of Android, which is appreciated by users with more geeks who wish to have a complete smartphone in their pocket with endless possibilities for customization.
However, downloading too many apps, often of an uncertain nature, opens the door to viruses and malware that could compromise your user experience: always pay attention to the app developer and make sure that the software you install is safe and with proven functionality (sometimes to be safer just read the comments).
Android: record-breaking malware and viruses in 2018
In a recent report, Google revealed that malware downloaded by users, unbeknownst to them, directly from the Play Store increased 100% in 2018 due to some malicious applications.
The phenomenon seems limited to that of click fraud, that is to say the so-called adware: it is a real crime that occurs within a pay-per-click app and implies the imitation of a behavioral program that would have a real user, automatically clicking on messages that trigger advertising or paid services.
The addition of this type of app by Google is recent and is related to the update of the terms and conditions for the presence of such software within the Play Store. In the past, click fraud applications were in fact considered by Mountain View as scams and therefore excluded: the recent report drawn up by the big G estimates that by removing this type of app from the Play Store the number of dangerous apps for users would fall by 31% every year.
To get an idea, the click fraud apps account for almost 55% of all those installed through the Play Store (the highest number in any category).
Unsafe Android: cleaning and antivirus
How to make Android more secure? First of all, a little conscience: a careful and focused use of your smartphone certainly helps to avoid damaging your device with unsafe apps.
This is followed by the choice of the best antivirus available on Android: installing one helps maintain a certain degree of security even for the most distracted users.
Recently, however, AV-Comparatives has thoroughly analyzed the 250 anti-virus apps on Android, concluding that only a third of the applications present are really useful and working.
In this, however, the best apps for cleaning on Android are also useful, in order to keep your smartphone always free from apps and junk data that often slow down and make even the best top of the range much slower.
Android yes or no? In principle a lot depends on your type of use, but we are still talking about Google, an IT giant that improves its version of its operating system every year (the current one is Android 9 Pie, while the next is Android Q ). Greater freedom does not necessarily indicate little security: by protecting yourself with a good antivirus and avoiding junk apps, you can easily use Android with the necessary customization and to its fullest potential.