# Five tips to keep your Android phone safe from malware



## Glaswegian (Sep 16, 2005)

The number of free Android apps that may be infected with malware this week has increased to more than 50. While some of these apps would look suspicious, others named things like "Quick Notes" or "Chess" seem innocent enough, and you might not think twice about downloading them.

Here are five quick tips to help keep your Android phone malware free:

1. Always research the publisher of the app. What other apps are they offering? Do any of them look a bit shady? If so, you should probably stay away.

2. Read online reviews. Android Market reviews may not always be truthful. Check around to see what reputable websites are saying about the app before you hit that download button.

3. Always check app permissions. Whenever you download or update an app, you are given a list of permissions for that app. That alarm clock app you are looking at probably shouldn't need to be looking through your contacts. The general rule of thumb is if an app is asking for more than it does, you should probably skip it.

4. Avoid directly installing Android Package files (APKs). When Angry Birds first came to Android, you could only get it through a third party. This is called "sideloading" or, installing apps using an .APK file. While Angry Birds wasn't malware, it is highly advisable not to download and install .APK files that you randomly come across. Most of the time you won't know what the file contains until you install it. By then it's too late.

5. Get a malware and antivirus scanner on your phone. While many still think that antivirus scanners on phones are useless, maybe outbreaks like these will change minds. Several different big name security companies already offer mobile security options, many of them free. I myself had downloaded "Spider Man," which is on a bad list. My Lookout software identified it as a Trojan.


Continued here >>> Five tips to keep your Android phone safe from malware - Feature - Techworld.com


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