Re: [tlug] AV Preferences for Android

[Jim Breen <jimbreen@example.com>]

2012/3/30 Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen@example.com>:
> I have seen several reports that free products for Android aren't
> worth the bandwidth to download them.

I wonder who wrote the reports? I've downloaded about 10
free apps, and I don't have complaints about any of them.
Excellent value given the price   8-)

> .... I don't know if Avast! was
> among the ones tested, though.

Did you mean anti-malware apps?

> ....The ZDNet report I recently read was
> that of about 25 such products applied to a sample of about 20 common
> malwares, the best (which also was a teaser for a commercial product)
> detected just over half, and the worst (complete freeware), *none*.
> None of them were trojans, at least. :-/

Ah, ZDNet. They've been churning out articles about Android
that look ghost-written by Apple.

> Is your wife in the habit of downloading random software?  Opening
> mail containing images or other attachments from unknown parties?  If
> not, I don't see why any CPU-cycle-eating warez are needed.

I think the main risk is in installing a dodgy app, especially if you
allow it to access sensitive data. I'm not sure how much at risk you are with
Android and mail attachments.

Jim

-- 
Jim Breen
Adjunct Snr Research Fellow, Clayton School of IT, Monash University
Webmaster: Hawthorn Rowing Club, Treasurer: Japanese Studies Centre
Graduate student: Language Technology Group, University of Melbourne