If you believe your Android phone or tablet h
then the good news is it's really easy to dele
how to remove a virus from Android. Plus, we
how to avoid the Godless virus, the Gunpode
Mazar virus, and other Android malware.
STEP 1
Android viruses are installed via third-party ap
remove an Android virus put your device in Saf
necessary remove its administrator status and
uninstall the affected app. If all else fails a fact
will clear the infection. In this article we offer
step guide on how to remove malware from an
phone or tablet.
How to remove virus from Androi
Step-by-step guide
First of all, it's worth pointing out that it's unli
your Android phone or tablet has a virus. What
more likely to be seeing is an ad that wants to
you Android is infected and you need to downl
app, or a dodgy pop-up, or perhaps your devic
misbehaving. But viruses for Android do exist.
If you're sure your device has a virus, read on
out how to remove it.
STEP 2How to avoid Android malware, including
avoid Godless virus, how to avoid Gunpo
how to avoid Mazar virus
All Android viruses are delivered via apps ins
your device, so if your phone or tablet doesn'
have a virus, the best way to avoid it is to be
careful which apps you install. A rule of thu
you know what you're doing - is to never ins
software outside of the Google Play app stor
default your phone- or tablet settings will be
to prevent this.
This is certainly true of the Gunpoder virus,
the headlines after Palo Alto Networks discov
could sneak on to your phone via Nintendo g
emulators installed outside Google Play - an
the cheek to make you pay for the priviledge.
Fortunately, Gunpoder hasn't been seen to af
users as of yet, but it's still worth taking me
protect yourself from the Gunpoder virus and
Android viruses that may be released in the f
More recently the Mazar virus has appeared,
your phone via a link in a text message that
the Tor browser. Right now it appears to hav
devices only in Denmark, although it could p
spread further.
Worryingly, though, the latest Android malwa
in app form - the Godless virus - can be deli
apps found in Google Play. These are usually
looking apps, such as copies of games and fl
apps (Summer Flashlight is one such app), b
unknown developers. Trend Micro has also fo
web some copies of otherwise clean Google
that include the code.
Godless affects only Android Lollipop devices
the ability to root your phone and install oth
(potentially harmful) software. The security c
advice is to ensure you vet the developer as
permissions whether or not you're installing
Google Play.
STEP 3 To ensure you don't inadvertently install m
through the installation of apps outside of
open your Settings menu, look for the Secu
then ensure the option for Unknown Source
installation of apps from unknown sources)
Also see: Security Advisor
If you're determined to install an app from
Google Play, do your research. Check its pe
(does a video player really need to see your
look online for reviews and have a good loo
developer's site to see what else it offers. I
Gunpoder, be particularly wary of Nintendo
emulator apps.
You can also install an antivirus app, and p
free Android antivirus apps are available th
detect and remove malicious apps, for exa
Mobile Security, Avast and Lookout. These
app scanner that will seek out anything dod
that these apps can also trigger false-posit
reporting an app you've been using for mon
malware when you know it's fine. In most c
simply ignore these alerts. Also, again with
mind, these apps may not pick up on malici
behaviour if the app is able to hide it from t
Gunpoder uses the Airpush adware library t
that behaviour.
If you believe you already have a virus on y
phone or tablet - perhaps one that is resisti
attempts to uninstall the associated app or
bypass the lock screen - a factory reset will
returning your device to its out-of-the-box
doing so also means you'll lose everything
phone that's not backed up. Instead, follow
steps to remove a virus from Android.
