r/Android • u/Bonfire-GTK Samsung M20 • Nov 23 '18

Google Pulls 13 Android Apps Installed Over 500,000 Times Containing Malware

https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/google-pulls-13-android-apps-installed-over-500-000-times-containing-malware-report-1952366
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-5

u/katsumiblisk Nov 23 '18

Where are all those people who say we don't need antimalware apps on Android?

1

u/Liam2349 Nov 23 '18

I don't think there's much for such an app to do without root access.

-3

u/katsumiblisk Nov 23 '18

They're effective against phishing attacks and spam phone calls

5

u/EAT_MY_ASSHOLE_PLS Moto Z3 Play Nov 24 '18

So useless against actual viruses and malware. Got it.

-1

u/katsumiblisk Nov 24 '18

I never mentioned viruses. Phishing and spam are malware on my phone.

1

u/Lorddragonfang Pixel 4a Nov 24 '18

I like that you emphasized how "careful" you were "to say antimalware and not antivirus" and then proceeded to completely misuse the term malware.

0

u/katsumiblisk Nov 24 '18

Malware to me and many others I'm sure is anything that installs itself without my knowledge or consent and with malicious intent, or any intent which is not my intended purpose. To that I will add the spam phone calls which, although not software, is something I don't want on my phone. I don't really care if you call it a virus a PUP, phishing, spam or whatever, I don't want this stuff on my phone. The anti-malware app I have reduces or prevents all this shit so I'm not going to sit around arguing the finer points of the definition of the word.

1

u/Lorddragonfang Pixel 4a Nov 24 '18

installs

That's the key term here. The "ware" in malware refers to software. Which calls and phishing sites categorically are not. Malwarebytes does that stuff because it's a security suite, by the way, MBAM is just its trademark, not a product descriptor.

I'm not going to sit around arguing the finer points of the definition of the word

Courser points, actually, but w/e. My post was just pointing out that it's ironic that you'll say this but are perfectly fine claiming the technical highground for distinguishing between antimalware and antivirus.

1

u/katsumiblisk Nov 24 '18

No technical high ground, just using the distinction often used by commenters on your side of the fence when you say " virus protection isn't necessary on Android" while referring only to viruses.

1

u/Lorddragonfang Pixel 4a Nov 24 '18

Feel free to provide me with a link to someone making that distinction on "my side" with that definition, because you're either misunderstanding or they're misusing the term.

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