Back in the day, cell phones did very little. You could call, text, or maybe play a game or two. Today, our smartphones are entire computers, powerful enough to do everything from editing complex documents to recording high-quality video. This comes with cybersecurity threats, which is why you might wonder if you need antivirus protection for your phone.
As our phones have changed, hackers have changed, too. They’re smarter than ever and have more tactics to fool you into downloading, clicking or opening the wrong thing. Once you do, you’re deep in the malware mess.
Does your phone have enough built-in defenses to protect you, or do you need the help of an antivirus suite? Keep reading to find out.
Signs your device is infected
Just like your computer or tablet, your smartphone can get a virus. The signs vary depending on what your device is infected with, but in general, here are the red flags to watch for:
- You see a spike in data usage.
- Pop-ups appear out of nowhere, in one app or across all your apps.
- Your battery is draining faster than usual.
- Your phone becomes hot or overheats.
- You notice odd charges on your phone bill that you don’t remember signing up for.
How does malware or another dangerous bit of code get on your phone in the first place? There are a few common ways.
- You click on a malicious link. These come via phishing emails, texts, messaging apps or spoofed websites. Always double-check the links you’re clicking and close anything that looks suspect as soon as possible.
- You download a bad app. Hackers are clever and good at creating malicious apps that look like the real thing. While these can end up in the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store, they are most often distributed through third-party app sites.
- You download a scammy app that contains malicious ad code. These adware apps are a common cause of unexplained pop-ups.
So, do you need antivirus software?
To us, the answer is clear: Yes! While your phone does have some safeguards to protect you, the more help you can get, the better. Today, most major antivirus and antimalware options include phone protection, too, so there’s no reason not to take advantage.
Listeners often ask Kim for her antivirus recommendation. After looking over the top industry options, she stands by TotalAV. Here are a few reasons why it’s the best option out there:
- It works on all your devices: All your gadgets need equal protection. TotalAV has you covered, whether you use a PC, Mac, iPhone or Android. Its all-in-one security software works across all your platforms.
- It makes your tech run more efficiently: TotalAV can improve your smartphone, computer or tablet’s performance. Since it removes junk files, it can clear up extra space. It can also reduce background processes, improving your battery life. There are a few other features it provides on top of those.
- It busts shady websites ahead of time: When you’re surfing the web, shady sites put you in a ton of danger. A single wrong click could infect your computer with malware. TotalAV stops you before you swim into these shark-infested waters.
- It gives you firewall protection: These are essential for protecting your computer. Otherwise, hackers could enter your system through an exposed networking port. TotalAV gives you remote access to your device’s settings, meaning you can easily protect yourself against online threats.
Good news: You can get this five-star protection for a steep discount. Our sponsor, TotalAV, has an exclusive deal just for you. Buy now, and get real-time antivirus protection for all your gadgets for $100 off. An entire year of protection is just $19. You really can’t beat that.
Use TotalAV for the best antivirus protection for your phone TotalAV
TotalAV offers complete protection for Android phones. That includes powerful antivirus protection. TotalAV scans for the latest threats. Cybercriminals move fast, and no one person can keep up with every threat independently. Let the pros do the work for you.
TotalAV also optimizes performance and speed, freeing up space and memory for the things you care about. On Android, you can also set up PIN protection on your apps. This is a great way to keep snoops or thieves out of your phone should it fall into the wrong hands.
On iPhones, TotalAV boosts performance, opens up memory and filters out dangerous websites. Take advantage of data breach checks, password exposure notifications, secure browsing, easier photo management, battery monitoring and much more.
Ready to protect all your devices? Go to ProtectWithKim.com now to save 85% on total protection you can trust. What are you waiting for?
