6 possible signs your Android phone may be infected with a virus
According to the Annual Security Threat Report by Quick Heal, mobile ransomware has increased by 450% from Q1 to Q4 in 2016 while mobile banking Trojan has shown an increase of 110%. Read the complete report here. All these stats only echo the fact that Android phones are a hotbed for malware and attacks are only growing. What’s scarier is that most users are not even aware that their device has been hacked and is being used for other nefarious purposes. So, we have listed here 6 possible signs that will help you detect if your phone is actually infected with a virus or malware.
#1. Your phone makes calls that you have no idea about
Noticed any calls or SMSs made or sent from your phone that you are not aware of? If no one else is using your phone and you notice unexplainable calls made from your phone (or SMSs sent), then you can suspect a possible virus infection. Most mobile viruses are designed to make calls and send SMSs from the infected device.
#2. Sudden or unexplainable usage of mobile data
When a virus infects your phone, it does not still idle; well, not forever. Android viruses and other mobile malware act based on the commands they receive from their creator (the attacker). For this, they require an active Internet connection. Internet is also needed for the malware to carry out other activities like stealing user data and sending it to the attacker, displaying fake pop-up ads, and so on. For obvious reasons having a malware hiding on your device means your mobile data usage will increase for a reason that is not known to you. So, if this happens, it is a good sign that your mobile device is infected.
#3. Battery drains faster than normal
Most Android phones now come with better battery life. Some even last for almost two days with heavy usage. If your device’s battery is drying faster than usual even with normal usage, take this sign of a mobile virus infection. Viruses constantly keep running in the background without giving away their presence and this eats up the battery.
#4. Poor performance
Mobile phones lose on the performance score as they age and get stuffed with apps over time. So most of the times, poor performance cannot be blamed on a virus infection. But, if you are like me who gets rid of unwanted apps, avoids live wallpapers and takes all necessary steps to optimize performance and still experiences lags and slowdowns, then a virus infection could be blamed for it after all.
#5. Unfamiliar apps show up on your phone
Most mobile viruses are programmed to install other apps (mostly malicious) on the infected device so that they can work together to mess up your happiness. If you notice apps which you don’t remember installing on your device, then there are high chances of your phone being infected with a virus.
#6. Overheating
It is normal for a mobile phone to get overheated while playing games, constant Internet browsing, charging or non-stop calling. But, if your device remains hot most of the time for no reason, a virus infection could be the most probable culprit.
What to do?
1. If you find your Android phone is suffering from one or more of the signs listed above, then install a mobile antivirus app and run a complete virus scan.
2. Never install apps from third-party app stores. Only trust official sources such as Google Play and App Store.
3. Do not click on pop-up ads that come up on your device while browsing websites. Clicking them might take you to an infected website or drop a virus on your phone.
4. Do not click on links or download attachments received from unexpected, unwanted, or unknown emails. Follow this practice even with messages received as an SMS or over WhatsApp.
5. On your Android phone, ensure the ‘Unknown Sources’ setting is checked out. This will prevent third-party, unofficial apps from getting installed on your phone.
The Fonetastic App by Quick Heal offers essential security features that protect your Android phone from harmful and malicious apps. The app also helps in improving the device’s performance. You can download Fonetastic for free from the Google Play Store > http://bit.ly/1Hvg0Mj
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