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Protect your devices with Prime Day’s Norton 360 Deluxe deal at just $20
Block trackers, malware, and viruses all in one
It’s Prime Big Deal Days, and there are a ton of deals available for you to grab at low prices. With everything to choose from, the last thing you may be thinking of is computer software, but while you’re buying the latest laptop or Chromebook, you’ll also want to grab the best antivirus and VPN software you can find too.
Google Play Protect isn't waiting to scan your apps anymore
Real-time scanning for sideloaded apps at the time of installation
Google Play Protect is well known for scanning many apps — in fact, Android's de facto antivirus tool scans more apps than there are people on Earth every day through its routine checks. Since Google Play Protect became its own app in 2021, many have speculated about what new features might be in store, and it looks like a big one is rolling out soon.
Can Chromebooks get viruses?
Here's what you need to know about viruses, malware, and your Chromebook.
ChromeOS is one of the most secure operating systems. Still, it can't guarantee protection against viruses. While the chance of a virus infecting your Chromebook is slim to none, understanding your Chromebook's security features and why you don't need antivirus software will give you peace of mind when setting up your new device.
Microsoft Defender for Android arrives on the Play Store
You have to be a company with a Microsoft 365 E5 license to use it
It was first reported in February that Microsoft was bringing its Defender anti-virus/anti-malware software to Linux and Android, and now the app has appeared on the Play Store as a software preview. It's only available to enterprise customers with a valid Microsoft 365 E5 license, but the app description gives a clear picture of what it's intended for.
Windows is very far from a perfect operating system, but it's hard to complain about the built-in Defender antivirus. It generally doesn't disrupt the user experience, works well, and has largely eliminated the need for third-party antivirus programs on Windows PCs. Now Microsoft wants to bring Defender to... Android?
Back in October, Wladimir Palant, developer of the popular AdBlock Plus browser extension, published a blog post outlining how extensions from security company Avast/AVG were collecting massive amounts of data from users. In a somewhat-belated response, Google has now removed some of Avast's extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
With its display covering almost the entire front surface, the Galaxy S10's design aims at being simple and clutter-free. Samsung's software, on the other hand, isn't necessarily popular for being sleek, as it noticeably changes Android's classic look and feel. The company has further customized its interface with the recent release of One UI, which looks nice, albeit different from the OS' standard appearance. Galaxy devices also come with extra apps, which are often useless and end up taking additional space. The latest flagships will be no exception as they'll come preloaded with McAfee's anti-malware bloatware.
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The days of multiple browser toolbars in Firefox and Internet Explorer are (mostly) gone, but malicious browser extensions are still prevalent. In fact, you don't even have to venture outside of the Chrome Web Store to find a few. Today, Google announced that it is taking further steps to alert users about malicious extensions/setting changes.
Just like any open marketplace, there's a lot of crap in the Play Store. In a strange and roundabout way, I'm actually OK with that - separating the silver from the dross of Android apps is one of our core functions at Android Police. But a recent promotion from antivirus vendor Trend Micro painted an extremely dim picture of the Play Store. The company claimed, among other things, that the Play Store was full of "potentially evil doppelgangers... with many carrying malware."
Computer security is important, even if the computer in question fits in your hand. There should be no doubt about that fact. However, you should be just as wary of security software as any other app. Case in point: there's a slick new app in the Play Store called Virus Shield. It's got a cool look and it's easy to operate. Just press a single button and your virus shield is activated.
According to Google, less than one hundredth of a percent of apps out there are both malicious and capable of evading the built-in defenses in both Android and the Google Play Store. But if you really feel like you need a defense from that one-in-100,000 app, a trusted name in software protection has just entered the fray. Malwarebytes, makers of the popular eponymous Windows software, is now offering its services on Android.
We've talked quite a bit about mobile security in the past, and the name Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android always seems to make its way into the conversation. There's a good reason for that – since its initial release, Bitdefender Mobile Security has always been one of the top choices on Google Play when it comes to device protection. But the company hasn't been stagnant since the first release, it has pushed a steady stream of updates to the Play Store, brining new features to the table on a regular basis.
We've long been fans of avast! around here. From the antivirus functionality itself to the brilliant anti-theft features with root support, it's one of the absolute best security apps on the Store today – and it keeps getting better. Take the most recent update, for example.
Protect Your Device From Everyday Viruses With Bitdefender's New Free Antivirus App [Sponsored Post]
We talked a little bit about Bitdefender's new antivirus offering earlier today in our giveaway post, but now we want to dive a little deeper into the app and explain what makes it good, how it differs from Bitdefender's paid mobile security service, and how it compares to similar antivirus offerings.
When it comes to keeping your data safe, you can never be too careful. And while there are a slew of various anti-virus apps available for Android, there are few that provide the type of protection that can be obtained from Bitdefender.
One of the most common questions newcomers to Android have is do I really need an antivirus? While there are varying answers to this question depending on who you ask, it's hard to deny the demand for such apps. Of course, most AVs have other, far more useful features than just the AV scan – like anti-theft, device location features, and more. For that reason alone, I always have one installed on all my devices.
This morning, Verizon announced it was launching a brand-new mobile security app for Android. It's called Verizon Mobile Security. Catchy, right?
Several weeks ago, avast! released a beta version of its mobile security and anti-theft apps (the latter of which used to be Theft Aware) that brought with it a slew of new features, as well as an all-new web portal. Those new features have now left the beta stages and the final release of version 2 is available in the Play Store.