After weeks of tortuous waiting to get your new Android device, it’s finally here!
You immediately plug it in, power it up, and go to the Google Play Store to install that popular app all your friends have been raving about, only to find it’s a whole 99 cents.
As internet savvy as you are, you search for a free copy of the app elsewhere and install from a poorly made third-party app store or file share.
All is well in the world and you enjoy your free app. A month later, you receive a phone bill that has racked up a small fortune in premium SMS messages you don’t remember sending. What happened!?
Don’t let this happen to you. Here’s some tips to help you stay safe with your Android device:
Install apps from safe locations, most notability from the Google Play Store.
Google Play is the safest place by far to install Android apps.
Now I know what some of you are thinking. You wanted an Android device because you’re not restricted to just one app store.
If you must install elsewhere, make sure you do your research and install from highly rated app stores that have security measures in place to keep it clean from malicious apps.
Many apps can also be installed from the app’s company website. Once again, do your research about the company and its apps before installing.
Check permissions of apps before installing.
This is especially true if you are installing from third-party app markets. Do the permissions seem fitting for what the app needs to function? If that wallpaper app of cute kittens has SMS permissions, you may want to think twice.
If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
It goes back to the old saying “you get what you pay for”. Like the example in the first paragraph, “free” was far from being free.
Don’t get me wrong, you can get popular apps for free that are safe, it’s just under the agreement that you will have to swim through a sea of advertisements in order to use the app.
If you’re okay with that, then install away. Just know that sometimes those free apps from shady app markets contain more than just advertisements. It might just be worth paying the 99 cents and avoid all the hassle.
Protect yourself with a good malware scanner, like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Mobile.
Call it a shameless plug if you like, but the reality is that malware is becoming more prevalent on mobile devices.
Even with being cautious, malware infections do happen. It’s best to have a layer to protection to stay safe out there. You can find our Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Mobile app on Google Play. And guess what, it’s free of cost and advertisements!
Don’t let the bad guys ruin your fun. Follow these simple tips and keep your Android device safe from infection.
Nathan Collier