Is your Android phone acting slow or not responding? Or does your Android app crash too frequently? Or do You receive expensive phone bills all of a sudden? Don’t take this symptom too lightly, it can be Android malware!.
What is Malware?
Malware is intrusive software that is designed to damage and destroy computers and computer systems. Malware is a contraction for “malicious software.” Examples of common malware include viruses, worms, Trojan viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware. Mobile malware is malicious software that targets mobile phones, by causing the collapse of the system like frequent crashes, error messages, viruses, worms, etc. Android has a huge user base, making it the most vulnerable to ransomware attacks. Our Android devices contain much more information and sensitive data that we want to secure under any circumstances.
So how to know if your phone has a virus? And How To Remove Malware From Android? In this article, we will cover the above-mentioned two topics. So with this in mind, it’s high time you learned how to avoid malware on Android.
How to know if your phone has a virus?
This is the era of digital information, and your data is the goldmine for hackers who are always on the lookout to steal it. So how would you get to know if your phone has a virus or not? Let’s see some symptoms of malware or virus infection.
Your Phone Tends To Overheat
Malware uses processor units and memory to work. So if your Android is doing nothing then also it’s overheating then it could be a sign of malware infection.
The battery drains faster than usual
Malware functions keep running in the background of our device. It continually runs and uses our phone resources. So, the battery starts draining quickly.
Pop-up ads
If your Android has Malware then you will see pop-ups and ads banners in the notification area too frequently. Also, you can encounter unusual ads that are sometimes ’too personal
Android is too slow
The malware hides in some corners of your device. But they continually work and eat your mobile RAM which makes your Android performance too slow.
Android apps are crashing or not opening
If your Android is infected by malware then your apps start crashing frequently.
Unexpected Charges
If you see unexpected charges then it could be due to malware infection. Unexpected changes like You find apps you don’t remember downloading, You receive expensive phone bills, etc.
You see an unexplained increase in data usage
Malware needs to use your data as it communicates with its command and control servers. If you see a rise in data usage, it could be a sign of malware infection.
Android malware list
Android malware list contains types of Android malware available in the market that are used by cybercriminals to make money. However, they can’t make direct money. So they track your personal data and information and sell it to needy ones like AD companies. Based on these methods, Android Malware is categorized. Here is the list of Android malware.
Ransomware
Ransomware is malware that employs encryption to hold a victim’s information at ransom. That is, it holds your personal information in an encrypted format without access to anyone. However, after some time they demand ransom to provide access. It is a growing threat, generating billions of dollars in payments to cyber criminals.
Adware
Adware is a word arising from the abbreviation of advertising software, meaning programs that show advertisments.
Adware, or advertising-supported software, is software that displays unwanted advertisements on your Android. Adware program viruses will tend to serve you pop-up ads, can change your browser’s homepage, add spyware, and just bombard your Android device with advertisements. They could display ads as pop-ups, banners in the notification bar, the upper keyboard area, or in the browser.
Spyware
Spyware is similar to adware, in fact, adware could also be spyware. Such apps pretend to be good applications like simple wallpaper software, weather information app, or some other software. But in reality, they track your data, steal your data and sell it in the market for the money.
Trojan Horse
A Trojan horse or Trojan is a type of malware that is often disguised as legitimate software. Trojans can be employed by cybercriminals and hackers trying to gain access to users’ systems.
Other Malware
This other Android malware list includes Logic Bomb, Computer Worms, Rootkit, and Viruses.
How To Remove Malware from an Android Phone?
There are various methods for removing malware from your Android device. However, you need to learn how to find malware on Android. So How to check for malware on Android?
- Open the Google Play Store on your device
- Open the menu button (By tapping on a three-line icon on the top).
- Select Play Protect then tap Scan. Your device will start checking for Android malware
- If your device uncovers harmful apps, it will provide an option for removal.
Now, How to remove malware from Android?
Reboot in Safe Mode
Safe Mode allows you to start your device using minimal functionality so that it limits the number of apps running in the foreground and background. This can be very beneficial in terms of malware detection and removal if your Android device has malicious files or apps or processes running that’s hindering its performance and crashes your Android simultaneously or blocking you from using it. Putting your Android on safe mode blocks third-party apps from operating, and can help you to diagnose issues with your device giving you a chance to disable the malware.
- Switch on your Android device.
- Press and hold the Power button until the Reboot menu appears on the device screen.
- Tap and hold the Power off option until you see the Reboot to Safe mode message.
- Your device restarts in Safe Mode and does not load any third-party apps.
- In the apps list, select the potential malware, and tap Uninstall
- You can uninstall the applications. Go to Settings > Applications
- Press and hold the power button again. Then select Reboot to go back to normal mode.
- That’s it!.
Uninstall all suspicious apps
There are chances, some of the suspicious apps installed on your Android phone and malware hiding there. Remove apps you don’t use or Only keep the apps you need. If there’s a doc reader or a face scanner you installed a while ago and only used once, then delete it.
Malwarebytes
There are many third-party apps available in the market that can help you to remove malware from Android.
Malwarebytes is the best Android virus removal tool. Malwarebytes protects you against malware, ransomware, malicious websites, and other advanced online threats. Malwarebytes for Android or Malwarebytes for Chromebook free download comes with a 30-day trial of the Premium version. When the 30-day trial is ended, Malwarebytes will only detect and clean, but not prevent, infections. It’s ad-free, forever. This powerful app with a great engine scans for viruses and malware and aggressively detects ransomware, PUPs, and phishing scams.
How to Remove Malware from Android phones for free?
Just download Avast from Google Play! Avast will Protect your privacy by receiving alerts when spyware or adware-infected apps are downloaded onto your device. Secure your device against phishing attacks from emails and infected websites. You can turn on the VPN to keep your online browsing private and safe. Get alerts when your passwords have been compromised by hackers.
With more than 100 million installs, Avast Mobile Security & Antivirus provides much more than just antivirus protection. It is the best malware removal for Android.
Avira Antivirus – Freeware
Avira Antivirus keeps your Android device free of viruses, malware, and spyware and safe from phishing attacks. It works quietly in the background as you use your device, and the lightweight app won’t disturb your surfing, downloads, or take up large amounts of storage space. Get more than the top virus scanner and remover for Android! This latest mobile antivirus software now combines ultimate protection with a phone cleaner and booster. Plus, it protects your privacy with a free VPN. Avira Antivirus gives you all the tools you need to stay safe—and it’s all packed into a single app. You can remove malware from Android phones for free.
MalwareFox
MalwareFox is an anti-malware software that provides fast, simple, and effective detection and elimination of cyber threats. Detection and elimination of malicious software like viruses, trojans, ransomware, malware, spyware, rootkits, etc. MalwareFox is an Android virus removal tool that scans your Android to detect and kill all kinds of malware. MalwareFox Anti-Malware has over 100k installs and is compatible with Android versions 4.1 and up.
Getting an android virus removal tool is a good idea to not wait until your device gets infected. Make protecting your Android device a priority. To stay in a loop and to get the latest updates, read our articles.