Android is the most popular operating system. It is open source, so it comes with many versions and modifications. The Google Play Store is one option for installing apps. Android allows users to install apps from other app stores as well as from APK files. Due to its open-source nature, developers have a great deal of freedom to create different versions of apps and application stores. However, most security lapses come from these applications when they are hacked by malicious actors to gain access to users’ phones. We know that phones often contain many financial and banking apps. Therefore, it is important to have a secure Android operating system. Google has learned from this and now stresses the importance of using and installing apps only from the Google Play Store. Google Play Protect is a built-in antivirus from Google that scans every app, both those installed from the Play Store and those from third-party sources. Google Play Protect

Google Play Protect

Google Play Protect: Integrated Mobile Threat Defense for Android Devices

“Google Play Protect checks and sandboxes every app before a user downloads it onto their device. It periodically checks the apps on your Android device and tries to determine if any are harmful. If so, it takes action to stop these apps from running on your phone. Google Play Protect is a completely cloud-based security system that is built into your Android operating system. If it finds a harmful app, it can deactivate and disable it. When installing a new app, it can warn you about apps that appear to have malicious coding or violate Google’s software policy. If an app violates the Google Play Store developer policy by stealing or mishandling personal information, it sends alerts to users and, if necessary, can disable the app from running.”

If any apps are not verified, it can stop them from installing onto your device. If your device is not from a Google-certified partner, it will not allow you to turn the Google Play Store into yours device. The Google Play Store is for certified Google partners, and here we are talking about original equipment manufacturers. Still, due to its open-source nature, Google allows users to turn off Google Play Protect in the Google Play settings within the Google Play Store.

Google uses very comprehensive malware detection techniques inside Android devices. It uses your device’s network connectivity—whether it is through high-speed 4G or 5G connectivity, or through Wi-Fi connectivity—to scan for any malware leaks. It scans for harmful URLs, and if there are any, it will stop those URLs from loading. It scans apps from their code lines, and if there is anything suspicious, it will provide that information to Google servers. Then, all recognized Android devices from Google-certified partners soon receive those alerts, and those apps are blacklisted worldwide within seconds.

It’s important to understand that even if you disable Google Play Protect, Google will still receive some of this information for Android security.

Enhancing Mobile Security: A Comprehensive Overview of Samsung Device App Protection

Samsung Devices offers app protection powered by McAfee, which you need to enable manually. To activate it: go to Settings, then Battery and device care. From there, select App protection, click on the three dots menu, and choose App protection settings. Finally, toggle the switch to turn it on.

You will then have two options: “Auto scan apps daily” and “Turn on auto scan when installing apps.” Enabling these options will allow the app to run daily scans while your device is idle, ensuring minimal resource consumption. This helps keep your system free from malware and spyware.

However, with Android 13, Samsung allows you to disable App protection settings entirely. While it offers partial protection, achieving full protection requires a separate purchase. Despite this limitation, its seamless integration into Samsung Galaxy devices by Samsung itself makes it a strong option. Although the security is not comprehensive, its effective management by Samsung remains a significant advantage.

A Review of Third-Party Antivirus Applications for Android Devices

Among the many antivirus options available, I find Norton 360 to be the best overall. I have a premium subscription and have installed it on my Samsung Galaxy device. When you install a third-party antivirus program like Norton, it will request several permissions, including disabling battery optimization and accessing your device’s accessibility features. This means that the native battery optimization feature will be turned off, which can lead to increased system resource consumption.

Additionally, if you are in India, the VPN protection offered by Norton 360 will not function as it is not permitted in the country. While Norton’s main defense relies heavily on its VPN service, which can block advertisements, this limitation renders it ineffective in India. Therefore, while Norton 360 operates somewhat ineffectively in India due to the lack of VPN functionality, it still offers superior security compared to other third-party antivirus options available on the market due to its robust cloud-based protection.Among the many antivirus options available, I find Norton 360 to be the best overall. I have a premium subscription and have installed it on my Samsung Galaxy device. When you install a third-party antivirus program like Norton, it will request several permissions, including disabling battery optimization and accessing your device’s accessibility features. This means that the native battery optimization feature will be turned off, which can lead to increased system resource consumption.

Additionally, if you are in India, the VPN protection offered by Norton 360 will not function as it is not permitted in the country. While Norton’s main defense relies heavily on its VPN service, which can block advertisements, this limitation renders it ineffective in India. Therefore, while Norton 360 operates somewhat ineffectively in India due to the lack of VPN functionality, it still offers superior security compared to other third-party antivirus options available on the market due to its robust cloud-based protection.

Ensuring Android Security: A Forward Look

Google provides Google Play Protect antivirus integrated into the Google Play Store. It works with cloud service and can be enabled for direct protection from Google. Users with Samsung or Xiaomi devices have access to native protection. If you use a Samsung Galaxy device, enabling its preinstalled and well-integrated antivirus is recommended. I have found that enabling this and then disabling Google Play Protect results in smoother device performance. However, reversing the order sometimes causes One UI to hang. Enabling the device’s native antivirus through its settings resolves this issue seamlessly. Among third-party options, Norton 360 is considered the best. Ultimately, the choice depends on your preferences and which option allows you to run your programs most effectively.