windstrings
Active Member
yes, but can you fart on command all day long?...... don't answer that! :icon_eek:
Security For Your New Droid
- Thread starter New2u
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windstrings
Active Member
andjarnic
Member
Let me sort of squash this notion of a virus on Android platform.. it IS a possibility, yes.. but highly unlikely. First, their are only two ways a virus could get into your phone. One is via an OS update.. and that would mean that the google team themselves bundled their OS/Android platform with the virus in it. Since they are extremely specific on what goes into this, I seriously doubt this will ever happen. The other way would be installing and running an app that has some sort of native code in it that can introduce a virus at the linux kernel level of android devices. I see this as a more probable way of it happening, but still pretty unlikely.
As for downloading an android app that adds a virus to the system.. as each android app runs in its own JVM and can only access programatic pieces of other apps by specifying them in their app, the only way I see an app becoming a potential virus is if a service is running and it can intercept data from other apps.
HOWEVER, to be fair, java byte code is easily revesible. Anyone can grab the .apk file from their phone, or from a site that allows you to download the .apk files. Reverse it, put in some java code (or native code possibly), rebundle it and host it or put it up on the store. I do think tho, that google will monitor and quickly squash duplicate apps from different vendors. That is why we developers have to be a developer ID and while I haven't uploaded an app yet, I would guess that the name + my specific ID and such will keep it unique. I don't know if it's possible for different vendors to have the identical app name put up on the store. If not, then this route will be much less of a worry for viruses.
As for getting a virus via email... I would highly doubt that is possible on these devices. Unlike windows and outlook and such that allow executable apps to be run when you so much as open an email (although usually its clicking on attachments), I don't believe there is any way to run an attachment from an email on your phone. It may open up another app to read it, for example.. clicking on a pdf attachment.. and I don't even know if these phones can do that.
I am curious New2u what virus(es) you speak of or think might come up.. and what anti-virus software there is to use?
As for downloading an android app that adds a virus to the system.. as each android app runs in its own JVM and can only access programatic pieces of other apps by specifying them in their app, the only way I see an app becoming a potential virus is if a service is running and it can intercept data from other apps.
HOWEVER, to be fair, java byte code is easily revesible. Anyone can grab the .apk file from their phone, or from a site that allows you to download the .apk files. Reverse it, put in some java code (or native code possibly), rebundle it and host it or put it up on the store. I do think tho, that google will monitor and quickly squash duplicate apps from different vendors. That is why we developers have to be a developer ID and while I haven't uploaded an app yet, I would guess that the name + my specific ID and such will keep it unique. I don't know if it's possible for different vendors to have the identical app name put up on the store. If not, then this route will be much less of a worry for viruses.
As for getting a virus via email... I would highly doubt that is possible on these devices. Unlike windows and outlook and such that allow executable apps to be run when you so much as open an email (although usually its clicking on attachments), I don't believe there is any way to run an attachment from an email on your phone. It may open up another app to read it, for example.. clicking on a pdf attachment.. and I don't even know if these phones can do that.
I am curious New2u what virus(es) you speak of or think might come up.. and what anti-virus software there is to use?
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next thing you know we will get the swine flu from malicious developers in the Market Place......
elbono75
Member
romeov
Member
Thank you. I was about to post something to this myself, but I wanted someone with a bit more Java experience than me to back up the claims. As soon as I saw an antivirus app, I thought "what?" That's way overkill at this point and not needed on this platform. These aren't windows operating systems, and the market along with the way the Android OS runs makes the chance of a virus HIGHLY unlikely, as he said, it would have to get through a numbing amount of loops, and even then, would most likely stay isolated on your system.
Now, I'm not saying that in the future, it won't be an issue, especially if millions upon millions of new people start buying android phones, and the market starts looking lucrative to hackers and phishing scams. but until then, these, in my humble opinion, are another useless app running in the background.
But to each their own, doesn't hurt to have piece of mind I guess.
P.S. As far as not using antivirus on your laptop? wow, unless that is a mac now THAT is risky. There are literally hundreds of thousands of powerful virus' trojans, malware and more that can get past or simply aren't detected by windows security patches and removal tools because they only focus on the most common and largest threats. Microsoft malicious file removal tool is a great app designed to work with an antivirus app, not at all in place of it.
andjarnic
Member
While technically not Droid related... if any of you want a great anti-virus program that is always updated and free, check out AVG (for Windows). New 9.0 version came out. I've been using it for several years now and never had a virus.
- Thread Starter
- #24
I wasn't saying that there was a virus out for the android platform, but there is proof of concept virus's out there for every platform. it CAN be done. That's what i was getting at. The virus's i was mainly talking about are for winmo and soon to be apple. Yes the apps may have their own jvm, but they do reside in the same location within the system. I wasn't saying hey there's 100000000's virus's out go get protection. Merely saying stay safe while your using the device.
And for mac users.. who think they are invincible, your day is coming. Your not only not virus proof your not malware proof or even close. There have been way too many people who don't know what the difference between malware and virus's are. While there haven't been any in the wild virus's for mac's there are proof of concept virus's. So if someone wanted to, they could write one no problem.
Malware doesn't effect a system in the same was as a virus and thus the reason why people are still vulnerable to attack. While linux systems and apple don't have any virus's out for them (other then PoC), creating malware is another story. This is the moral of my story. People need to understand that there is a difference between virus's and malware, and they do different things on your system.
And for mac users.. who think they are invincible, your day is coming. Your not only not virus proof your not malware proof or even close. There have been way too many people who don't know what the difference between malware and virus's are. While there haven't been any in the wild virus's for mac's there are proof of concept virus's. So if someone wanted to, they could write one no problem.
Malware doesn't effect a system in the same was as a virus and thus the reason why people are still vulnerable to attack. While linux systems and apple don't have any virus's out for them (other then PoC), creating malware is another story. This is the moral of my story. People need to understand that there is a difference between virus's and malware, and they do different things on your system.
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thats what I use...great software
redjr
New Member
No. Anti-virus for little computers that are constantly on the grid....
My worry is that the antivirus apps from the Market could in fact be data mining maleware themselves! Sorry but I will only download an antivirus app when a real company makes one avaliable and not some nerd in his parents basement......
windstrings
Active Member
Exactly!..anything that monitors every movement that is in the open is much easier to write than a true malware that hides secretively..... a trogan is something that appears to be one thing thats really something else!
Beware of free gifts!... especially if it wants to come into your bedroom and monitor everything you do and own!
I'll at least wait till I hear others that are not computer/phone savey getting virus's before I worry about anything..... I can't see a reason to load my phone down with cpu intensive programs that do nothing and because they show no reports of viruses, we think they are working????
There is no real way to test other than expose yourself to a virus and see if it catches it, or at least a test virus thats harmless... but these programs offer none of this and legitimate virus programs do.
A shining example of this is the warfare we see in America... the enemy abroad is not our danger, its the enemy within that appears to be someone else..... remember Fort Hood?
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Once and again, in my eyes, its somewhat different.
I DONT think any anti-virus stuff is needed for droid. Just brain.exe
Virus can only install when using a special hole in a browser or something,
or when users r trying to install and execute EVERYTHING no matter where from.
For the first problem...keep urself moving on standard sites, where u know what u surf on. Dont follow any links, not knowing where they lead u.
For the secound...just use the little programm brain.exe!
I think no anti virusis needed! just waste of money!
I DONT think any anti-virus stuff is needed for droid. Just brain.exe
Virus can only install when using a special hole in a browser or something,
or when users r trying to install and execute EVERYTHING no matter where from.
For the first problem...keep urself moving on standard sites, where u know what u surf on. Dont follow any links, not knowing where they lead u.
For the secound...just use the little programm brain.exe!
I think no anti virusis needed! just waste of money!
windstrings
Active Member
Ok.. you got me!!!
I did a search and couldn't find that program anywhere in the market place.....
LOL!... guess I need to get a MRI brain scan and see if I have one! :icon_eek: