As my phone (Pixel 3) no longer receives security updates, I'm wondering if there are any security apps that could serve the same function. My parents both have Pixel 3a, and I'm hoping to not have to replace their phones in a few months also. I hate to consider it, but I'm thinking about moving to iOS, possibly the new SE rumored to be coming out in the next few months.
Any recommendations for android apps that could provide sufficient protection? I'm willing to pay for one that keeps me from having to change phones just to be secure.
Correct. Google's support for Pixel 3 phones only was given until end of 2021.
Yes, just wondering if there's an app that could provide a similar level of protection
jlmoon said:
Yes, just wondering if there's an app that could provide a similar level of protection
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really. If you're on Android 9 or higher you're reasonably secure if you don't do stupid things.
You can scan with Malwarebytes (free).
You can scan suspect files, apps and such with online Virustotal.
Be careful what you install and download. Use Brave browser. If on Android 9 use Karma Firewall. Know the vulnerabilities of your current system and adjust accordingly. Avoid using wifi especially if you have a good data plan. Turn off bluetooth when not using.
The Note 10+ I'm using has been running on 9 for over 2 years. It's current load will be 2yo in June.
Security is not an issue. Over 1 5 years ago I had one malware jpeg that caused minor damage in the download folder, my bad I downloaded it, it was successful deleted. Had one trojan preloader that slipped by the Samsung browser in spite of setting, spotted by Malwarebytes, it died before it got its payload
Check download folder daily, delete anything you didn't download. Open jpegs you did download and take action if unusual behavior occurs as a result. Vet everything before moving it out of the download folder. If you stumble into a bad website try to back out without clicking anything other than nav buttons. Close the tab otherwise and/or browser.
If unusual browser continues clear its cache or if you must data.
Zero tolerance for any malware; if you can't erratic it and repair the damage in 2 hours, factory reset. Reset Google account password afterwards.
Always redundantly backup all critical data to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC.
Use this settings mod to globally block ads and some known bad websites:
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Thank you for the detailed recommendations, but I can guarantee my parents won't be up for that much work. I wish I had a better feeling for how much of a big deal this is - some of the articles I've read make it sound like the end of the world.
jlmoon said:
Thank you for the detailed recommendations, but I can guarantee my parents won't be up for that much work. I wish I had a better feeling for how much of a big deal this is - some of the articles I've read make it sound like the end of the world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not good. If they don't have a certain level of wherewithal and interest eventually something nefarious from that phone will reach out and touch them. Updates may help but don't eliminate the threats.
I've run unpatched Android OS's for years with very few issues. However there are things I do to mitigate the risk both in setup and while using.
Literally the first word I said as a baby was "No!".
Turned out to be a really useful word to this day... don't be easy.
Related
I just installed a pretty slick little program that claims to be an antivirus, firewall, data backup, phone locator, etc. But that got me wondering... I would never ever connect my pc to the internet without heavy-duty firewall and antivirus software running. But I've never had it on my HTC HD2 running WM 6.5.5. Is it even necessary?
I've never seen an alert about a virus on this board or any blog/column sites. Is such software needed? Is it just a case of "playing it safe"?
Thought?
Thanks!
It's not really worth having any Antimalware or firewall on a Windows Mobile device. There have been very minor virus problems on Windows Mobile before, but the Antivirus applications were never any help until months after the viruses were discovered (since there are no Heuristics and the databases are generally updated monthly).
IMHO it's completely unnecessary on a phone and will only slow the device, so don't bother. Besides, while not the most elegant solution, the myriad of data/contact backup applications which could be used along side a hard reset could pretty much fix all the damage done by malware (provided the malware is not backed up as well!)
IF you plan on flashing roms at the rate of a normal member here you do not need antivirus. After a Hard reset the virus will be inoculated. Also getting a virus is very unlikely om wm.
dc41 said:
Is it even necessary?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In short, No.
In long, Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
MalekoUK said:
In short, No.
In long, Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
How do I prevent the fancy unit conversion tool etc from sending my phone number and my e-mail address (real name) to the manufacturer who then sells the data?
How do I prevent various apps from connecting to the internet and wasting my data volume?
-Tiz- said:
How do I prevent the fancy unit conversion tool etc from sending my phone number and my e-mail address (real name) to the manufacturer who then sells the data?
How do I prevent various apps from connecting to the internet and wasting my data volume?
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Click to collapse
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One cannot say that there are 0 viruses for WinMo, but they are so less that an anti-virus is not really required.
Just watch where from and what you are installing and you should be fine.
Thread direction seems to be right. The topic is about AVs and firewalls.
I do not believe that an AV is of major importance. But I can hardly live without a firewall.
Recently, I found that the "Android System Info" app below is using Flurry Agent to send data / report via 3G/internet whenever I start using it. At least, it came out in the logging.
Do you know any alternative that does not use Flurry Agent?
I hate that thing because it uses 3G/internet and it cannot be disabled
I know Astrid is using Flurry Agent as well, but it can be disabled.
Android System Info
by ElectricSheep
>250,000 downloads, 15332 ratings (4.5 avg)
Free
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i believe that is for the download of the ADs to sustain their income & development
use Adfree perhpas?
Well, I think that is not ads ... Ads should be the AdMob SDK or something in the logging.
Flurry Agent is about analytic:
http://www.flurry.com/
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=673146
To be honest, I don't mind with ads ... Especially if that can support the dev and the app is good.
But, I don't like sending usage pattern, statistical data, usage analysis, that kind of things.
AllGamer said:
i believe that is for the download of the ADs to sustain their income & development
use Adfree perhpas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many devs find analytics to be important information to them.
You could edit your hosts file manually to block any flurry.com urls...
Not rooted, you cant do that.
Good developer will add an option to disable this, like Astrid.
distortedloop said:
Many devs find analytics to be important information to them.
You could edit your hosts file manually to block any flurry.com urls...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gogol said:
Not rooted, you cant do that.
Good developer will add an option to disable this, like Astrid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your last sentence doesn't quite sit right for some reason, but I agree overall.
Something in the back of my mind tells me there's a revenue stream to the developers who include this. Like flurry pays them a royalty for data collected. That needs confirmation, but while many devs put stuff out for the love of the device, many more need to get some income off the app to stay interested in developing/maintaining it. We all want "free" apps, but we're going to have to get used to either paying up in cash, or paying up in seeing ads, or paying up by having some analytics collected on us.
I don't want my phone spied on either. Best thing you can do is uninstall the apps that spy on you without the feature to turn it off, give the app a 1-star rating on the market, and leave a comment that it collects analytics on you and you don't like that. Kind of lousy thing to do an app that's otherwise top-notch. If enough people uninstall and bad rate these apps, the devs will get the hint and stop doing it.
As for not rooted, there's no reason not to root the Nexus S. There are hundreds of reason to root, though. Blocking ads and spyware is just one of them.
You don't even have to unlock the bootloader to do it, easy instructions here; no loss of data with that method.
It doesn't work.
I want to back up to drive, then download to another identical phone. Moto X 2013 xt1052
It keeps saying:
"NETWORK ERROR, THE DEVELOPER REALLY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. They are on drugs. Probably."
That's exactly what google said on my phone.
That and some crap about a network error.
And a server error
SERVER ERROR? ARE THEY ON DRUGS? Wimbledon is in June, not Jan, so I hardly think anyone will be serving on centre court.
I just want it to work.
I press a button and I expect it to just work.
I don't know computer phone stuff, and a nandroid is a flavour of an ice cream? yes?
Tell titanium to just make it work.
Tossers.
It's uploading in bits before falling over.
Just up loaded another 24% so I'm just waiting for google or titanium to **** up and make me start screaming.
Again.
How difficult is it to make a backup app that backs up
and if there is a problem with the app or network, or connection or google servers
it just chills and goes into a holding pattern with an explanation as to why
and then fix/repair/carry on.
The developer shouLd fix this and if it is google, make titanium compatible with it
and if they need to talk it through with google, ****ing phone google up and MAKE IT WORK!
Google invented Android phones specifically so people can phone up google directly.
They should put me if charge
Of this or the Launch codes.
I'm easy on either option.
32%. Still uploading.
Clearly threats of a tactical nuke strike have the desired threat.
Why don't they just make it work properly?
ALSO
TITANIUM IS VERY VERY HARD TO USE,
it is not intuitive at all.
They should make it easy to use for non-tech types {like me}
as well as techies {Like my ex g/fnd}. She writes programs for banks.
I watch television programs. I am in the larger group that Titanium need to address when
creating a back up App.
We don't understand
And when we do, it often stops working properly. (The internet is full of posts by cleaver people with the same googledrivetitaniumbackupscncrap that I'm writing about).
...40% still going
But I still hate this app.
Make it easy to use
and just make it work!
If I lived in the USA I would buy some big guns, get drunk, then make a youtube video
of me shooting up my (totally not at fault) phones.
Hate is a terrible thing.
46% ...grrrrrr
79% Really?
I've upload is 7mbs which is pretty decent.
What's it waiting for? (next) Christmas?
Grrrrr.
100%
Titanium Backup Pro
Upload to Google Drive finished.
Make it work faster and make it easier to use.
BTW, I've not got to get it put on the other mobile (another motox 2013 xt 1052)
But we all KNOW this will not be the easy to do thing it should be.
It's taken hours,
the second drive backup I created is empty despite downloading my phone into it...
This does not work.
Can I buy a cable, connect the two phones and use titanium copy the whole phone onto the other phone?
Same make, model and android 5.1 so no conflict.
I have spent a day doing this.
Also I manufacture drugs. {Crystal Meths}
I am typing this while sitting in a desert in a beat up RV, in a full bio suit {Trad.}
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My drug cooking recipe is on one phone but i need it on the other.
Both phones have dbrand skins; one is bamboo, the other is blue carbon fibre.
Obviously to get blue crystal meths, I need to read the recipe off a blue coloured phone.
Oh, I also bought a gallon of methylated spirits as that's prob an important ingredient....
How do I move the entire phone onto the other, by pressing one button
or two at the most?
I don't have time for this, I need to be stealing box sets off Piratebay.
I just want it to work.
Is there a way to stop the Softare Updates? I want my phone to remain as I bought it (unbrandee/unlocked, direct from Samsung). If I feel the need to install a System Update at a later time (inevitably slowing down the device), then I'll research it and authorize/install it. For now, I want it to STOP downloading and forcing me to install updates.
Is this thing on?
SportbikeRiderXX said:
Is this thing on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure why you would not want firmware updates they usually improve the device
i too would like to disable these updates. i don't care about improving the phone.
I would suggest doing research on the purpose of updating the firmware and software on any device or platform. Aside from fixing bugs and improvements, they more importantly usually provide security updates to address the vulnerabilities and issues that affect your device security and personal privacy. The perceived "inevitable slowdown" is more than likely a full storage issue or a lack of good housekeeping.
The purpose of this thread is to inquire on HOW to stop the forced updates and notifications of available updates on the device. NOT to discuss whether the updates should be installed based on anyone's opinion. Thank you all in advance.
I'm not sure if it would work but....
Something like a no-root firewall could prevent the service from checking and downloading updates.
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.faircode.netguard/
SportbikeRiderXX said:
The purpose of this thread is to inquire on HOW to stop the forced updates and notifications of available updates on the device. NOT to discuss whether thl updates should be installed based on anyone's opinion. Thank you all in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my bad man, I get lost in my head sometimes, point taken.
Still nothing?
SportbikeRiderXX said:
Is there a way to stop the Softare Updates? I want my phone to remain as I bought it (unbrandee/unlocked, direct from Samsung). If I feel the need to install a System Update at a later time (inevitably slowing down the device), then I'll research it and authorize/install it. For now, I want it to STOP downloading and forcing me to install updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try disabling these two apps:
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The "Disable" button is greyed out on both apps.
hello
use this XDA article to disable
com.sec.android.soagent
com.wssyncmldm
https://www.xda-developers.com/disable-system-app-bloatware-android/
If you're rooted, you can force stop the update by freezing the system apps responsible for updating.
SportbikeRiderXX said:
The "Disable" button is greyed out on both apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
next time quote me so i know you replied. You can uninstall these apps through ADB. search it up
You can probably block the update server with a no-root firewall/ad blocker.
I hope you don't do anything important involving money or have personal information on your phone if you're trying to stop security updates. Because those are actual real world things that happen all day every day around the whole world unlike conspiracy theories about updates slowing down your phone.
evilpaul13 said:
I hope you don't do anything important involving money or have personal information on your phone if you're trying to stop security updates. Because those are actual real world things that happen all day every day around the whole world unlike conspiracy theories about updates slowing down your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you. Security updates are very important, and can prevent some serious damage. What is more important than that, however, is that people have full control over the devices that they spent $1k on! Samsung is seriously going to stop me from using my phone if I don't update? If I'd known this, I never would have bought a Galaxy.
Hi everyone,
What kinds of uses can you have with an Android smartphone that you can't have with an iPhone? (apart from being able to change OS). What kinds of apps can you have on Android that you can't have on iPhone?
Thanks
Want a pillow war?
ze7zez said:
Want a pillow war?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just want to have an overview of what is possible or not possible.
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Do a Google search for "Android apps not avail on iPhone"
BTW:
Making high-quality apps takes a lot of time and effort. Time and effort costs money. There is way less money to be made in Android than in iOS. iPhone users tend to have more money and therefor are willing to spend more.
on android you can have the freedom to change your operating system (as long as your OEM has enabled bootloader unlock support), install apps, themes, sideload apps that don't exist on the store (be careful XD) and much more other. An iOS device is very limited, you can't sideload apps as the OS only approves apps that are digitally signed with a certificate that developers have to pay around $99 a year to own. also you can't install themes, change the operating system in the slightest since there are hardware blocks. The only benefit is that it is perhaps a slightly more secure platform given the existence of countless hardware and software locks.
Yes, you are right
Android is open source
You can change anything, root, install Magisk module and many other things
lionleggend said:
on android you can have the freedom to change your operating system (as long as your OEM has enabled bootloader unlock support), install apps, themes, sideload apps that don't exist on the store (be careful XD) and much more other. An iOS device is very limited, you can't sideload apps as the OS only approves apps that are digitally signed with a certificate that developers have to pay around $99 a year to own. also you can't install themes, change the operating system in the slightest since there are hardware blocks. The only benefit is that it is perhaps a slightly more secure platform given the existence of countless hardware and software locks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
question was apart from being able to change OS. rooting makes difference for power users or cheaters like me, but that reason becomes obsolete as more and more vendors don't even allow bootloader unlocking.
We had a similar discussion regarding backup, where apple is winner.
Why is Android not providing backup of app data?
Hello community! I think this is the best place to ask this question as this is a forum of default for all developers. Why is Android not providing backup of app data? On iOS, factory reset and restore is a breeze. The process is extremely...
forum.xda-developers.com