Antiviruses became a fundamental element to maintain the safe and correct functioning of an operating system. Its primary function is to detect any threat that puts the stability of the environment at risk, eliminate it or neutralize it, before it acts. While this was primarily a need for Windows systems, antivirus software even made its way to mobile platforms. In that sense, we want to discuss everything you need to know about Avast for Android.
This is one of the most popular solutions on the market and here we are going to review what it can do for our devices and if it is worth installing.
What is Avast for Android?
As we mentioned at the beginning, antiviruses come to the market to cover the need for protection that Windows systems had. In this sense, Avast is one of the pioneers in this area, debuting in Windows 95 under the name of Alwil Software. It would not be until 2010, when the company changed its name to the one we know today and later, it would diversify to reach mobile phones.
Antivirus and antimalware for Android did not wait, since it is the mobile platform that is the busiest for users. Considering that the goal of hackers is to capture as much information as possible, Android is the operating system with devices to attack. Therefore, Avast appears as a possibility to provide extra security to what Google Play Protect already offers.
This application has a series of features aimed primarily at protecting the mobile from false applications, malware and other elements that filter the data on our computers.
Avast Features for Android
We live in a time where the risks of being connected to the web are multiple, from any operating system. Right now, our data is at risk when we enter a website or install a malicious application. That is why Avast appears as an alternative to cover those gaps that until now have not been solved natively.
In this way, the application offers the possibility of receiving notifications in case of phishing attacks or websites infected with malware. In addition, it offers very interesting additional functions such as the connection to your VPN network.
Thus, to detail the features offered by Avast for Android, we can mention:
- File scanner.
- Leaked password monitoring.
- Private photo trunk.
- Junk file cleaner.
- Monitoring of malicious websites.
- Wi-Fi security.
As we can see, there are really interesting features such as Wi-Fi security, which allows you to check public networks to determine how reliable they are. This is an option that is highly adapted to the current reality, where we are always connecting to networks of public sites, which can put our data at risk.
Monitoring malicious sites will allow us to be aware of any website that represents a security risk. In this way, we will receive a notification indicating that the page is not trustworthy and thus we will avoid entering.
With the Anti-Hack analysis, you will be able to know if your passwords have been leaked in a security breach. This is another fantastic feature of Avast for Android, because it offers the possibility to immediately modify our passwords in order to avoid being hacked.
In general, we are talking about an app that provides security mechanisms that are quite useful to keep us protected and alert to risks. Although this is something we can do on our own, a little help never hurts, especially when it comes to security.
Is it necessary to have an antivirus on Android?
Taking into account that we can carry out protection and security tasks on our own, it is worth asking if it is necessary to have an antivirus on Android. This is a question that many users have and that is important to address, because many things have changed.
Years ago it was not considered necessary to have an antivirus on Android, mainly because it is a Linux-based system. This means that virus threats, as we conceived them from Windows, would not affect a mobile with Android. Therefore, for a few years, these devices were out of the reach of threats.
However, as we mentioned before, attackers always target the platforms with the most users and this is Android. So, the dangers have evolved and while you won't be able to get infected with a file-based virus running on the system, you could install a fake app. The Google Play Store abounds with these types of applications that end up filling our phones with advertising and stealing our information.
So, although Play Protect is doing a decent job, it is necessary to cover other open flanks that Android has left. That's where solutions like Avast for Android come in, taking care of other vulnerable areas. In this sense, having an antivirus on Android is a good solution, as long as the team has enough resources to maintain a good experience.