Can smartphones get infected with viruses or malware?
Viruses and malware are often associated with computers, like a desktop or laptop computer. However, with the increasing popularity and use of smartphones and the personal data they contain, viruses and malware have started to target smartphones. While less common today, smartphones can be infected by a virus or malware program.
The details below also apply to tablets, like an Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab.
How does a smartphone get infected?
Bad apps
The most common way for a smartphone to get infected is by downloading an app with a virus or malware embedded inside the app code. When the app is installed, the virus or malware infects the smartphone operating system, like Android OS (operating system) or iOS.
E-mail attachments
An e-mail can infect a smartphone if the user attempts to open an attachment with a virus or malware. For example, an infected PDF (Portable Document Format) attachment can infect a smartphone.
SMS or bad website
Another common tactic to infect smartphones is done through an SMS (short message service). For example, an unknown contact could send you a link to visit that sends you an infected attachment, attempts remote control, or attempts to phish private information.
How to protect your smartphone from getting infected
The best way to protect your smartphone is to only download apps from a verified, reputable source. Google Play for Android phones and App Store for iPhone are the best places to download apps. Apps in these online stores are checked for viruses and malware and are less likely to cause problems for your smartphone.
You can also download and install antivirus and anti-malware apps for your smartphone. For example, AVG Antivirus is available for Android phones, Avast SecureMe for iPhones, and Kaspersky Safe Browser are examples of apps that help protect smartphones from malware. Using any of these apps, you can scan for and remove any viruses and malware on your phone.
Can iPhones get infected with viruses and malware?
Apple and other sources state that iPhones cannot get infected by viruses or malware. The iOS operating system is designed to strictly prevent unauthorized code from accessing private data or modifying core functionality. These protections make iOS more secure, and less likely to get infected by malicious software.
However, iOS is not invulnerable from infection by unwanted software, especially if you jailbreak your iPhone to bypass other iOS restrictions. For that reason, always carefully consider what apps you install on your iPhone, and install them only from the official App Store.