Android is the most popular operating system on the planet. It powers everything from handsets in Korea, to Kindle Fires in Oslo, to video game consoles in New York. But on the Internet, success encourages attacks. That's why we've assembled this list of the best Android security apps for 2013.
With detection rates so high, we look to other issues for a big part of our evaluations. Design and ease of use, for instance, are critical. Extra features, like back up, call-blocking, anti-theft, and so forth are great features that really help users. Additionally, we look at how security apps impact user experience, such as how long it takes to complete a malware scan.
We also look at how those features are implemented. For instance, most security apps will remotely lock your device but unfortunately some allow you to continue to interact with your device even when it's locked. That's something our readers should know before they make a purchase.
But there are some indisputable benefits to security apps. Theft and loss, which are by far the most common and most immediate threats to your phone and its data, can be drastically reduced. And if malware seems too unlikely to be a threat, remember that simply being on a phone or a tablet doesn't make phishing emails (or SMS, or Facebook messages, and so on) any less dangerous.
These days, you wouldn't use a Windows computer without AV software simply because of the risks out there. Android isn't as tasty a target (yet), but security apps will keep you from becoming a target and will give you valuable tools that just make owning an Android better.
What We Look For
The great news for Android security is that when it comes to malware, detection rates are sky-high. At PC Mag, we use the testing results from independent labs to evaluate malware. According toAV-Test, the average detection rate in August was 95.2 percent. Which is great, because the number of malicious apps is exploding.With detection rates so high, we look to other issues for a big part of our evaluations. Design and ease of use, for instance, are critical. Extra features, like back up, call-blocking, anti-theft, and so forth are great features that really help users. Additionally, we look at how security apps impact user experience, such as how long it takes to complete a malware scan.
We also look at how those features are implemented. For instance, most security apps will remotely lock your device but unfortunately some allow you to continue to interact with your device even when it's locked. That's something our readers should know before they make a purchase.
Do You Need Security?
The question of whether or not security apps are "worth it" is one I go over a lot in my head. While all the reports that I see indicate that Android malware is rising, it's usually limited in how it can attack devices. It wasn't long ago that a security expert told me that Android security was a success story compared to the madness of PC security in the 1990s.But there are some indisputable benefits to security apps. Theft and loss, which are by far the most common and most immediate threats to your phone and its data, can be drastically reduced. And if malware seems too unlikely to be a threat, remember that simply being on a phone or a tablet doesn't make phishing emails (or SMS, or Facebook messages, and so on) any less dangerous.
These days, you wouldn't use a Windows computer without AV software simply because of the risks out there. Android isn't as tasty a target (yet), but security apps will keep you from becoming a target and will give you valuable tools that just make owning an Android better.
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its good for android apps over here: http://www.omgtop5.com/category/android/
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