Does My Phone or Tablet Need an Antivirus?

Over the weekend, I received a question from a subscriber to this newsletter, and I felt that it was an important topic to address.  This person had recently received a new tablet and wanted to know if he needed to put an anti-virus on it.  I would like to address a few things about operating systems, viruses, and security software, and then I will use those points to answer the question.

First, there is no such thing as a secure or virus-free operating system.  It is true that very few viruses have been written for anything other than Windows, but it is because those operating systems have not been as popular, not because it is impossible to write for them.  Until recently, the Macintosh OS had only a niche following, and there were so many varieties of Linux that it was impossible to write one that would affect all of them.  Yes, there are features of these operating systems that make it more difficult to infect, but every operating system has holes that someone could use to exploit.  The popularity of Windows is what made it the prime target because the people who produced these programs received a better "return on investment".

With the advent of tablets came two new operating systems:  Android and iOS.  Android has been exploited most, partly because of its open-source nature (Android's source code is freely available for anyone to download and look at) and partly because it is more widely-used than iOS or any other mobile operating system.  This does not mean iOS cannot be exploited:  the recent "Oleg Pliss" attack shows that it is also vulnerable.

Android and iOS are both more secure than Windows because they were designed differently.  Both require permissions before apps can be installed on your device and limit the interaction among different apps.  They also have features that limit the ability of your device to spread malware to others.  Even if you get something, it is unlikely that it could be sent to your friends or family through an e-mail or over a network.

However, this does not mean that your tablet or phone is completely secure.  There is a large amount of malware available in the app stores, and even Apple's process for reviewing apps has been fooled by developers.  (Google does review apps for the Android store by an automated scan.)  If you like to install a lot of free apps, you are probably in the most at-risk group for malware.

In conclusion, an anti-virus app for your phone or tablet is definitely a good idea, although unlike Windows, you could probably get by without one.  The only anti-virus app I have used is Lookout (link for the Apple and Android app stores below).  While I cannot say that I believe it is the best without having tried others, I have seen it recommend by many tech experts, and it is the one I have on my Android phone and tablet.  Lookout also has many other features, such as the ability to help you find and back up your device.  Like many antivirus programs, it has both a free version and a paid version with more features.

iTunes - Lookout Mobile Security
Google Play - Lookout Mobile Security