Mobile phones have become a fundamental tool for society. We no longer conceive of a world without our being able to access social networks, our bank accounts, our emails and personal messages through our cell phones.
Although this makes many aspects of our daily lives easier, it also makes us more vulnerable to computer viruses and malware. If we are not cautious, our mobile could be the victim of cyber attacks and theft of information. For that reason, we answer the question of how to check your phone for viruses and what you can do to remove viruses from the phone.
How to check your phone for viruses?
When it comes to computer virus infections, malware, spyware, and adware, iPhones are much safer than Android. This is because, unlike Android mobiles, iPhones do not have an open-source operating system, but are entirely controlled by Apple. Also, the process for uploading applications to the AppStore is much more thorough than that of the PlayStore.
However, iOS is not foolproof. Unknown errors may appear, indicating that you have been infected. Keep these signs in mind to know if you have a virus on the iPhone mobile:
- Slow execution in actions previously performed with speed.
- Malfunction of some apps.
- Appearance of intrusive advertising.
- Internet connection failures.
Please note that the slowness and some errors may also be due to recent software updates on older generation mobiles.
How the iPhone gets infected?
Some hackers have broken Apple’s security using Xcode, a program developed by the company that allows you to create applications for iOS products. In places where internet connectivity is slow, users are tempted to purchase non-original copies of Xcode, which can easily be infected with malware. XcodeGhost is an example of malware spread by infected versions of Xcode.
Other infections may result from jailbreaking the iPhone. This process disables many of the security features of the operating system and gives full administrator control to allow applications to make changes to the system. If the application is not reliable, these can infect the iPhone quite easily.
Ordinary users are unlikely to be victims of viruses thanks to Apple’s security. It’s not that it’s impossible for iPhones to get infected, but most malware developers prefer to infect Android mobiles for the ease.
How to know if my Android phone has a virus?
Despite the fact that Google has made changes in recent years to strengthen the security of its operating system, Android is still vulnerable to malware attacks, especially if we do not use our phones with common sense. Keep these signs in mind to know if your Android phone has a virus :
Distorted consumption of the battery: If the use of the mobile is always the same and, suddenly, the battery considerably reduces its durability, it is likely that it is infected by a virus or that the battery has been damaged. Check that you do not have any new applications with strange functions or that consume a large percentage of the battery.
Excessive data consumption: Some malware request an increase in the use of data to carry out certain actions.
Payment request in applications: A failure in the mobile can force you to pay or install a file so that you can continue using it. Do not fall into the trap: it is a virus.
Installation of applications without your consent: There are malicious programs that automatically download apps to your cell phone without you having requested them.
Unwanted advertising: If you open your browser and find ads without understanding the reason, the probability that your mobile is infected by a virus is high.
How to avoid virus
Since Android mobiles are more vulnerable to viruses and all kinds of malware, it is important that we know how to prevent viruses on our phones, in addition to knowing the signs that an application may be misleading or unreliable. Keep in mind some of these tips to know how to avoid viruses on Android:
Don’t grant permissions to apps that don’t need them: For example, gaming apps don’t require access to your camera or microphone. If they ask, they probably don’t have good intentions.
Avoid installing keyboard applications, emoticons or other types of junk functions: These applications are designed to be attractive to users, but many of them are full of adware that will fill your mobile with unwanted advertising.
If you have questions, ask: If you have questions about an application or the reliability of its developer, seek second opinions. If they contain malware, it is very likely that other users will notice it in the opinion section of the application or in other forums on the web.
Activate Google Play Protect: It is one of the functions that Google has created to strengthen Android security. Open the PlayStore and go to the Play Protect section to make sure it is activated.
How to remove a virus from my cell phone
Despite the alerts from operating systems and security barriers, the difficulty of keeping your phone safe from viruses is high. If your iPhone or Android is infected, there are solutions to remove malicious programs from your device.
Remove a virus from iPhone
If you suspect that your mobile has been infected, you have two alternatives to get rid of malware on your iPhone. The first is manual:
- Update your mobile or reinstall the operating system. For the last option, connect your mobile to iTunes and choose the factory restore option or see our article How to format an iPhone.
- Delete the Safari history (cookies).
- Update all applications.
- If all the previous steps have not had the effect you were looking for, use the ‘nuclear option’, that is, restoring the device with no backups installed.
The second way to eliminate a virus from the cell phone is by using antivirus such as Avira Mobile Security, which controls the operation of all the applications installed on your cell phone. You can also use the Trend Micro Mobile Security program as a preventive measure: it guarantees the security of your browsing.
Remove a virus from Android
To eradicate malicious programs from your Android, uninstall applications that have excessive permissions on the device or those that have permissions for which you have not given your consent. Delete files and applications of dubious origin. All downloads made outside the official store are suspicious.
Delete the WiFi connections you have made in public places to avoid virus intrusion. As with the iPhone, if your mobile continues to behave erratically, restore the operating system and restart its operation from the factory mode.
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