8 Reasons Why You Need Antivirus On Your Phone

While almost everyone has an antivirus installed on their computer, there’s a disturbing lack of these protective tools on smartphones. In an age where almost everyone uses a smartphone and has all their private data, this is a significant concern, not to be discarded too lightly. If you need a few more compelling arguments, here are the top eight reasons you need your phone antivirus.

Malware protection

Imagine a scenario where you just unlock your phone and give unrestricted access to a random person in the street. Imagine that you have a guarantee that they won’t steal the device; they’ll just look around your gallery, chats, and bank accounts and give you your phone back. Just how unsettling was this thought experiment?

Malware infiltration can result in data theft, privacy inversion, financial loss, and unauthorized changes. Every one of these instances is unsettling, at the very least, and something you want to try to avoid. The simplest way to stop it is to download an antivirus on your phone.

The worst part is that it won’t stop with you. From your device/account, malware can spread across all your contacts. After all, many people trust you, and if they get a file to download or a link to access in their DMs, some might click before suspecting anything.

Secure browsing

While people spend 89% of their time on apps, browsing the internet is not uncommon. In fact, at the moment, due to the number of mobile users (7.33 billion), the majority of online traffic is browsing via mobile phones.

With the help of antivirus, you’ll have an easier time detecting phishing, HTTPS scanning, and receiving security notifications, whatever happens. 

The main reason you’re getting an antivirus for your phone is its web protection features, which help you scan sites for malware and unsecure connections. Sometimes you’ll be notified of this, while the connection will be automatically blocked at other times.

Regular scans

An antivirus will regularly scan your device for changes and notice if anything’s off. Usually, these tools are made to detect malware, protect users’ data, prevent unauthorized access, and preserve device performance. A good antivirus can even recognize an unauthorized change and notify you in time to take action. This will allow you to stay ahead of emerging threats.

Now, scanning capabilities are different for every single one of these tools. This is why you want the best and the most reliable tool available. On this Technopedia list, you have a breakdown of some of your best options, and picking the one that sounds the best is a great first step.

Remember that while antivirus software performs regular scans and occasionally asks you for permission to resolve these issues, you should also manually instigate these scans occasionally.

One more thing worth mentioning is that, in the era where the safety of your phone is so essential, the extra protection you get from a premium antivirus (compared to a free plan) is not negligible.

App permissions

It’s normal for an app to ask for permission before using a function or accessing a feature; however, there are some functions that these apps have no right to ask for. Some permission requests are… suspicious, and antivirus may detect this quite effectively.

Some apps will give you an option to manage privacy and security permissions. In these scenarios, a good antivirus may give you a few suggestions. If an antivirus recommends that you deny certain permission to a specific app, it’s probably not doing it without a good cause/reason.

Then, apps are not always what they say they are. Are you so aware and in the moment that you’ll notice that the app with a similar logo misses one letter in its four-syllable word? This is a tactic similar to phishing but also an activity that an antivirus will pick up on immediately. 

Data theft prevention

Data theft doesn’t happen out of the blue. It’s usually a flaw in your phone that an antivirus is designed to detect. We’ve already mentioned a few risky points, like installing malware on your phone or giving permission to a suspicious app. 

A great antivirus will ask for app verification, scan all your apps, apply anti-spyware features and monitor your network to the best of its abilities. It will also apply updates and patches to plug any gaps in your cybersecurity. 

Account takeover is one of the riskiest things ever, and modern antivirus software even has a behavioral analysis feature. This, too, will turn on the alarms (even if it’s just a false alarm) and give you a chance to react/respond in time.

We’ve mentioned several times already that you can’t allow your phone data to be compromised, and the best way to stop it is to install an antivirus. 

You’re probably using your phone for 2FA

Many people find using their SIM cards for their 2FA is the most convenient. In practice, this means that when they try to access an account from a new device or if they want to change their password, they’ll receive a code in an SMS.

While this drastically elevates your security, it isn’t without risks either. First, some providers don’t invest too much in their SMS security. This means their messages may be intercepted, giving malicious parties access to this code.

Then, there’s a risk of an account takeover, where a hacker gets access to your email and changes the settings so that your phone is no longer a part of your 2FA process.

Malware and keyloggers installed on your device may intercept 2FA codes, making this layer of protection completely inefficient. For this to happen, however, they must first infect your phone, and your antivirus should protect you. 

Device performance

An antivirus system will prevent malware from draining your phone’s resources. You probably know, even as a kid, that when your device starts lagging, someone immediately diagnoses it with a virus. These wild accusations aren’t always baseless. In one of the previous examples, we’ve already discussed how a malicious third party could use your device to farm crypto.

Remember that this is the easiest to notice when using resource-heavy apps, like complex video games or something that requires AR. Still, when your phone is infested enough, browsing or using your phone’s interface may show signs of lag.

Of course, this won’t always be the case. A missed update or low storage space may create a similar effect. Still, if you have an antivirus, you can scan on top of decluttering to help with this issue. 

Wi-Fi security

Wi-Fi is a bloodline of modern phone use. Sure, you may have a great mobile internet plan, but you’re probably only using this data when there’s no Wi-Fi. You’re using your own Wi-Fi (or stealing it from your neighbors) at home, and you auto-connect at your friend’s homes, work, and favorite coffee places. In 2023, one of the first things that anyone asks the waiter (even before the order) is the Wi-Fi password.

The problem is that some of these networks are not secure. Ideally, while on an unsecured network, you wouldn’t do anything sensitive, but you would be surprised how easy it is for these things to slip your mind. People are just not actively minding their cybersecurity.

With the help of an antivirus, you’ll get another layer of protection in a very sensitive situation. This alone is worth your time. 

You already have so many apps on your phone; why skip one that could actually help protect your data, assets, and resources?

Antivirus doesn’t take up much space, and it doesn’t slow down your devices by that much. As a trade-off, you get a huge boost to your cybersecurity, which, both directly and indirectly, keeps you safe. It’s a smart thing to do, and it’s always better to act before it’s too late.