How to prevent your smartphone from being infected.
Threats to Android systems are making the headlines with increasing frequency. Trojans and viruses deliberately try to copy online banking data or use the device’s computing capacity to find the bitcoin cryptocurrency. This is why you should be concerned with the issue.
In order to minimize the risk of a malware attack, follow our general tips for more security on your smartphone, particularly when installing apps. If you want to check your smartphone specifically for malware, there are various options.
Protect your smartphone with Google Play Protect
Google offers all Android users a free virus scanner that does not even need to be installed. Google Play Protect is part of the Play Store and monitors the apps that are installed. This is how you check whether the scanner is also enabled:
- Open Google Play Store.
- In the main search field, type “Play Protect”.
- “Scan device for security threats” should be enabled in Options.
- At the top of the dialog box, you can see whether Play Protect has already scanned your devices. By tapping the Update button, you can launch the process manually whenever you like.
For a second opinion – install Android protection packages
Play Protect scans installed and purchased apps for malware, giving you a good foundation for more security. Do you need a second security app for your smartphone? That depends on your own security preferences.
- Most apps to protect smartphones offer a number of additional functions, such as rejection of paid numbers or known spam callers, or scanning of email attachments.
- You may value a second opinion confirming the results of Play Protect.
In such cases, it may be a good idea to install an additional program. Deutsche Telekom’s Sicherheitspaket Komplett (German only) product lets you give devices such as your PC, tablet, or smartphone the ideal protection. The Protect Mobile (German only) package, on the other hand, allows you to shift the protection of your smartphone entirely to the network. It detects and fends off risks even before they make it to the smartphone.
