Phone viruses. How to clean your phone from viruses yourself

Today we will discuss the question of how to remove a virus from a phone (Android) or We will also describe a number of programs that can help with this. Today there are not very many antiviruses for this platform, but some of them have already proven their effectiveness.

Avast Ransomware Removal

If you are faced with the question of how to remove a virus from your phone (Android), this application will help you. Ransomware programs cause a lot of trouble for the owner of a mobile device. And it is precisely against them that the mobile version of Avast directs its main efforts. "Ransomware" works according to the following algorithm: they encrypt important user files and delete their originals. Next, they issue a message demanding to pay for the return of personal information. In order for Avast to fix the problem, you need to install it, run it and wait until the scan finishes. The verification process may take some time. Note that this antivirus is no less successful at disinfecting files. It is curious that after the scan is completed, the antivirus may offer to remove it from the phone, but this decision always remains with the user.

ESET Mobile Security

This tool can easily remove a virus from an Android phone. The level of detection of various threats with this antivirus reaches a record level of 99.7%. The basic functions of the tool are provided free of charge. Installed applications are checked in real time. Thanks to the built-in anti-theft, you can determine the location of the device, block it, or turn on the siren signal. The user’s personal data, including passport and credit cards, are under separate protection. Thanks to this tool, the user can update the threat database, examine activity logs, view quarantine, and scan the device. At the same time, the antivirus saves battery power.

xCore Antivirus app

This application will help you decide how to remove a virus from your Android phone. The tool eliminates threats received from the Internet. Cleans your phone from SMS spam and Trojans. The program efficiently and quickly scans memory partitions, as well as removable media, for the presence of various malicious software. There is a built-in web filter, as well as the ability to set a ban on various advertising applications. The tool includes a clear interface, quality and high speed of operation, functionality, and convenience. The main screen of the application has nine menu options. Scanning is implemented in three modes: selective, full and quick device scan. A monitor is a background application process that monitors all the actions of malicious objects. A web filter will save you from visiting dubious sites. The SMS and call filter is similar to a black list.

Other effective applications

There are also several lesser-known, but very useful applications that will help you remove a virus from your phone, smartphone or tablet. The first of these solutions, which we will talk about today, is called VIRUSfighter. This is a compact program that protects your mobile device in real time. In addition, there is a familiar scanner for detecting viruses. The application interface consists of “Window” and “Menu”. The window displays information based on the menu item the user has selected.

Removal can also be quickly accomplished using the 360 Mobile Security Antivirus application. The application has a dual-core protection system, as well as a simple and beautiful three-dimensional interface. The main screen of the program displays the current protection status, database version and time of the last scan. There is also a button here that allows you to quickly scan the device. As for it, you can call it by swiping to the left or using the “Menu” function. Here you can fully scan the device, as well as view applications that are sorted according to the degree of privilege. Settings allow you to activate the database and select the language. Now you know how to remove a virus from your phone (Android) and what applications can help with this.

This information will allow you to keep your phone in working order even if it is infected with virus software. Also, timely removal of the virus will protect user files from infection.

Rice. No. 1. Viruses on Android

1. What is a virus in Android OS?

Over the past two years, viruses for the Android platform have been introduced into 80 percent of devices. Even special antivirus software cannot always detect a new type of malware.

Looking for an antivirus program for your smartphone? List and description of the best antiviruses

There are several types of viruses that users may encounter:

Trojan. This type of virus can distribute or collect information. Also, some Trojans have the ability to gain unauthorized access even to encrypted user data;
Viruses that spread advertising. Banners offering you products or services may appear at any time, even if there is no Internet connection;
Viruses that block the functionality of the operating system. This type of malware is the most dangerous. The virus restricts the user's access to the device's functions, requiring the user to restore operation by sending a paid SMS message;
Third-party software that binds to the browser installed on the device. As a result, users will constantly be redirected to advertising pages.

Malicious software on Android can be easily removed from a tablet or smartphone. This can be done even by a user whose phone does not have root rights. All you need is to recognize the virus in time, determine its type and remove it.

Rice. No. 2. Viruses on mobile devices are by no means harmless

2. How to recognize and remove a Trojan using an antivirus?

The user may not even be aware that a Trojan or spyware is installed on his phone. As a rule, these types of software are installed on the device along with other programs that are downloaded from unofficial sources.

Symptoms of a device infection may include an excessively high mobile phone bill, abnormal Internet traffic consumption, installed third-party programs, slowdown and freezing of the device. The battery can also drain very quickly.

You can identify and remove a virus as follows:

Scan your phone memory with special antivirus software. The most popular antiviruses for Android are Dr. Web, CM Security, Mobile Security, Avast, 360 Security;

Rice. No. 3. Antiviruses on Google Play

Remember! You must download the antivirus only from the official Google Play store. Otherwise, you may end up with an additional Trojan on your phone.

Perform manual removal. Using the phone itself.

Let's take a closer look at how to scan a device using the example of the most popular antivirus in the app store - Dr. Web. To get started, download and install the utility on your device.

Then follow the instructions below:

Launch the application. Open the “Scanner” window;
Next, select “Full device scan”;
Wait for the process to complete;
If viruses are found, their number will be displayed next to the “Threats detected:...” field.
Open the window with the detected malware and remove each component separately by clicking on the additional options button (picture below).

Check for viruses regularly. 1-2 scans per week will be enough.

It is also recommended to check programs immediately after installing them. Using an antivirus, you can remove Trojans, banner viruses and software that binds to the browser and other applications on your phone or tablet.

You can read about other antivirus programs for devices on the Android platform in our article.

Here is a list of good antiviruses that we recommend for use:

Security Master - Antivirus, VPN, AppLock, Booster (in addition to antivirus functions, this program also has a VPN and a device accelerator);

3. Several ways to manually remove a virus from a device

If you encounter a more serious type of malicious utility and cannot fix the problem using a regular antivirus, you must remove it manually. After removing the pest using an antivirus, do advertising banners still appear?

In this case, follow the following removal instructions:

Turn off wifi and data transfer over the mobile network on your phone;
Take out the SIM card;
Remove all previously installed programs;
Uninstall the browser and install it again. Use only the version of the application that is available in the Play Store;
Also format the connected memory cards;
Reboot your device.

To remove a ransomware virus that has blocked all actions, use the following instructions:

Turn off your smartphone;
Remove the mobile operator card from the device. Do this immediately after you discover the ransomware virus. Otherwise, a large amount of money may be debited from the account;
Do not remove the memory card from your phone; it may also be infected with a virus. To completely remove ransomware, you will have to clear all information, including installed programs and personal user data;
Reset your device to factory settings using the Volume Up, Power button, and Home button combination. Hold them down for 5-10 seconds until a window appears with the text as shown in the figure below.

Rice. No. 5. Text indicating that the reset has begun

Move the cursor down the list using the side volume keys. Stop the cursor at the Factory reset line, as shown in the figure below;

Rice. No. 6. The line "Factory reset"

Press the power key to begin the reset process.

Rice. No. 7. Reset process

Select the recovery option, which will delete all user data;

Rice. No. 8. Recovery options

The procedure can take from 3 to 20 minutes. After it is completed, the device will start on its own. You will be prompted to set up your device again (the normal settings process as after purchase).

Rice. No. 9. Suggestion to reconfigure the device

Read about removing viruses from different operating systems.

Thematic video:

Have you noticed that your smartphone or tablet suddenly began to behave suspiciously? Did you start to reboot spontaneously, turn on the network on your own, show advertising banners, and generally start living your own life? Most likely, your device has become infected with a virus.

If earlier the Android operating system was not very exposed to the risk of infection, then with the growth of its popularity and, especially with the increase in the number of users using gadgets to conduct financial transactions, the number of viruses for this OS began to increase rapidly. Trojans that try to transfer the owner’s funds to the attacker’s account are especially dangerous.

Let's look at how to understand that a smartphone or tablet is infected and how to remove the virus from Android, as well as protect the device from infection.

Signs of an Android virus infection

suddenly the device takes longer to boot than usual;
The smartphone/tablet slows down and reboots spontaneously;
extraneous SMS or calls in the log that you definitely did not make;
money leaves the phone balance;
the presence of advertising banners that are not associated with any application or browser;
network interfaces (wi-fi, mobile Internet, Bluetooth) turn on spontaneously;
spontaneous installation of applications, unknown application icons;
funds disappeared from electronic wallets and mobile banking;
the smartphone/tablet is locked and a request to pay for unlocking is displayed;
Applications stop opening or an error message appears when launching them;
the battery suddenly began to drain faster than before;
The antivirus program uninstalled itself.

If the symptoms listed above appear on your device, then you need to check Android for viruses.

If the smartphone or tablet is not blocked and remains at least somewhat functional, then you can try to remove the virus using an antivirus application, if one has been installed. If there is no antivirus on the device, then you need to try it from Google Play. It may not be possible to install an antivirus, because... Malware actively prevents its removal.

Open the application and run it to perform a full scan of the gadget’s internal memory. If a virus is detected, select " Delete" However, it is not always possible to cure the device in this way. For example, the phone or tablet is blocked or the antivirus does not find a malicious object. Or it finds and deletes, but the virus is still restored. Some Trojans simply prevent the scanning program from starting. What to do in this case? Then you will have to try to remove the malware from safe mode or using a computer.

Android safe mode is a device startup mode in which a minimum number of system processes are loaded, and because... Most viruses use these processes, then in this mode they will not be able to work and resist being removed.

Boot the gadget in safe mode as described in the instructions and perform a full Android scan for viruses. If the antivirus does not open or is missing, then reinstall it.

After scanning, restart your smartphone (tablet) in normal mode. If this method does not help, then move on to removing the virus from Android using a computer.

This method can help when the device is locked or the virus cannot be removed even in safe mode.

In severe cases, when none of the above methods worked, a Hard Reset or complete flashing of the device will help.

Flashing or, similar to a computer, reinstalling the operating system is the most drastic option when a virus has entered the system image from which Android is being restored and even a Hard Reset does not help.

If you do not have sufficient experience, then it is better to do the flashing at a service center or entrust it to a knowledgeable person, because... Without the skills, you can easily damage the device.

How to protect Android from viruses

By following the rules below, the risk of contracting the virus is minimized. Namely:

Install applications from official sources (Google Play, etc.), do not be tempted by hacked programs distributed on suspicious sites. As they say, the miser pays twice; by saving on a “broken” application, you can spend a lot more to restore the functionality of your smartphone or tablet.
Update the system on your gadget if the manufacturer offers them. Updates fix system vulnerabilities used by malicious programs.
Install an antivirus program and do not turn it off.
Do not open email with attachments or suspicious SMS and MMS on your device.
Try not to give your device to other hands.

The main advantage of an Android tablet or phone is free access to the Internet, the ability to install any applications, and use the wide multimedia functionality of the device. An increasing number of users are encountering such an unpleasant problem as system infection with viruses. You will learn how to remove a virus from an Android tablet, having previously understood their types and the most common sources.

Possible reasons for a virus appearing on a device

The best way to get rid of a virus is to prevent it from appearing at all, and for this you need to know the reasons for its occurrence. There are a large number of ways for code to get into the Android OS; the most common ones should be highlighted:

Downloading various files from the Internet, following unsafe links;
Penetration of viruses through SMS/MMS messages;
Downloading and installing applications from unofficial sources;
Installing little-known software from Google Play (low probability);
Using a Bluetooth connection to exchange data.

How serious the consequences of a system being infected with a virus will be depends on which category it belongs to. In most cases, the user is able to remove the virus from the phone on his own, but there are other situations when more serious measures have to be taken. To prevent a virus from entering through an application installation, pay special attention to its description. This is especially true for the access that the application requests to various data. Requests such as access to personal messages, sending a call, contacts and other user information should at least raise suspicion. Once you agree to grant access, there is no going back.

Installing an Anti-Virus program

If you suspect the presence of a virus on your device or just want to check the system for prevention, then the first step is to install an antivirus. It is worth saying that you can install this program yourself either on a tablet or on a computer, although you should already have it on your PC.

Have you decided to install an antivirus on Android? It’s enough to choose a couple of the most popular ones on Google Play. Why do you need multiple applications? They work based on various algorithms for searching and eliminating threats. Sometimes one antivirus claims that the system is absolutely clean and safe, while another detects all kinds of viruses hidden in the most unexpected corners of the OS.

To remove a virus through your computer without installing an antivirus, connect your device to your computer and then scan it using the available program. To do this, just go to “My Computer”, find a connected device among the disks, right-click on it, select the “scan with ...” function, where instead of an ellipsis there should be the name of the antivirus.

If he was able to detect malicious or unwanted programs, he must begin eliminating them. The antivirus can remove most of them on its own. You can try to get rid of them manually by finding the location of the viruses and removing them.

It happens that a threat hides so well under the guise of a completely harmless file that the antivirus does not see it. In this case, we can recommend resetting the device to factory settings. You should first copy all personal data, such as music, photos, videos and others, since they will all be deleted. This function is located in the device settings.

There is another way to effectively remove viruses - flashing the gadget, but in this case you cannot do without root rights if you intend to carry out this procedure yourself. You must first use the Recovery function, which resets various settings and settings to their original values.

Determining what kind of virus

The variety of viruses is now enormous. No matter how hard antivirus software developers try to create new algorithms and quickly eliminate viruses, scammers are just as quickly coming up with new ways to penetrate the system and gain access to user data.

One of the most common types is an SMS threat, which, however, will not cause any harm to the tablet if it does not have a SIM card installed. However, it is best to immediately get rid of the spyware virus by uninstalling the application after installing it to sneak into the system. If it cannot be deleted, then you are dealing with a more complex program. You can cope with the problem using, for example, AVAST.

There is another unpleasant type of virus that blocks the screen. It looks like this: the entire screen area is occupied by a window with a blocking banner. It cannot be removed, rolled up, etc. How to proceed:

It is recommended to act as quickly as possible. First of all, reboot your device.
Remove the application that introduced the adware into the system, or scan the OS with an antivirus, which will eliminate the threat itself.
If your device does not have an antivirus, connect it to your PC and follow the steps described above.
If none of these methods help, perform the Hard Reset procedure, first trying to save your personal information, since after the reset it will be completely deleted from the tablet.

The MVD virus is gaining popularity, which for a long time caused damage only to computer operating systems. As a result of the appearance of such malware, a message appears on the gadget’s display stating that the device is subject to blocking. In order to remove the blocking, the user needs to deposit a certain amount of money. In most cases, such threats penetrate the system due to visiting pornographic sites.

First try closing the program in which the blocker appeared.
If that doesn't work, reboot your device and turn it on in safe mode. To do this, hold down the volume buttons at the same time as soon as the manufacturer's logo appears on the screen.
When the tablet turns on, remove the virus in the settings or using a special application.
If the virus is not removed, disable administrator rights for this application in the “Security” section.
If no actions give the required result, perform the Hard Reset procedure

The Chinese virus, or rather its various forms, has become especially widespread. For example, about half a million people in China suffered from a malicious program hidden in the animated desktop wallpaper of an Android device. It is extremely difficult to detect such software, and even more difficult to get rid of it. The Trojan spends the user’s funds in every possible way, sending paid messages, and also reads important personal information from the tablet.

How to secure your tablet or smartphone

Follow these tips to reduce the risk of a threat getting into the Android OS:

Install an antivirus if you often use the browser and visit various sites;
Install content only from trusted sources;
Please note that root rights increase the risk of malware infection;
Carefully read the application descriptions, especially its requests for access to various functions, rights, etc.;
Never click on links contained in messages from unknown sources.

Conclusion

The appearance of viruses on a tablet is, of course, an unpleasant phenomenon that spoils the impression of working with the device, or even completely blocks all of its functionality. By following the above tips, you can remove the virus from your Android tablet or smartphone yourself and protect yourself from such situations. If a system virus has already penetrated the OS, the main thing is not to panic, but to consistently follow all steps to eliminate it.

No matter how much users complain about the fact that the Android operating system is vulnerable to various types of viruses, the main reason for infection is the illiteracy of the person himself. How does a threat get into a phone or tablet? For example, a user wanted to download a broken version of a paid game. Such manipulation in 80% of cases threatens to become infected with a virus. Another common situation: you receive a message on any social network with a link. Few people can resist the temptation to cross it. At this stage, the threat penetrates directly into the phone. We’ll talk about what to do and how to protect ourselves from such a situation in this article.

Fakes

Often, a virus on Android can be hidden under completely harmless applications: browsers, navigators, games, players, books and, most interestingly, antiviruses.

There are two types of threats. One of them is called "fake". It didn't get its name by accident. Such a component may look like a well-known application on the outside, but contain malicious code inside. A similar program (viruses on Android can masquerade as your favorite VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, and so on) begins to actively operate when opened.

"Trojan Horse"

The second type of threats received a general name - “Trojan horse”. Such viruses are more harmful, they are difficult to detect, and accordingly, it is almost impossible to remove if the user is a beginner. They are built into any frequently launched application on a phone or tablet, changing its source code.

We’ll talk about ways to remove such threats below, but you need to know that most of them are located in the “Downloads” folder.

How

A virus on Android can perform many actions. We'll look at the most popular ones below.

How to distinguish a “healthy” application from a viral one?

The overwhelming majority of viruses that are quickly and easily installed on devices are written by non-professional programmers. They are necessary for making money easily. That is why it is quite easy to identify such threats - just look at the list of permissions of the installed application. As soon as this virus appears on Android (on a phone or tablet), and the consumer activates it in the system, he will immediately begin sending messages to paid numbers or calling them.

Not all applications work this way. However, these are the most common and, by the way, easily eliminated.

What should you pay attention to when installing applications from third-party resources? The first warning sign is if the program makes unclear requests about:

access to the camera - it means the developer wanted to shoot something;
access to memory and Internet connection - files from the phone are needed;
Administrator rights - needed for advertising.

A high-quality virus on Android is more difficult to identify. But you need to be wary if the application was downloaded from an unknown resource and requests rights to implement paid functions - such software is 99% a virus.

How if there is access to the menu?

A publicly available and one of the easiest ways to get rid of viruses is described in this section. If the consumer realizes that a threat has “settled” in his phone or tablet, it is worth taking active steps:

First, you need to immediately remove the SIM card. This step will help protect the owner’s account from unpredictable expenses.
After this, you should download any antivirus via Wi-Fi. It is impossible to recommend any particular one, since most of the well-known defenders are updated every time, so they are all highly effective. The most popular are Doctor Web, Kaspersky.
It is necessary to run a detailed scan and remove all existing threats.
After the entire procedure, you should eliminate the antivirus.
You need to download a second antivirus. The first one needs to be removed for the reason that sometimes two similar applications cannot work simultaneously on the same device.
After checking the device and removing all suspicious programs, you must disable access to administrator rights for all installed software. If suddenly one of the programs does not allow you to do this (which already makes you think), you need to boot the device in safe mode and perform this manipulation from it.
After this, you need to go to the installed applications and remove from the device those that are not familiar to the owner.
The last step is to reboot your device.

For those who were not helped by the above method, we can recommend resetting the settings to factory settings. Typically, this will erase any viruses that have been installed. But this option will not be useful for components built into the system itself. So, the easiest way to remove a virus from an Android phone has already been described in detail and can help most consumers. If you still cannot fix the problem yourself, then there is only one thing left to do - contact a service center.

How to eliminate a virus from a phone or tablet if there is no access to the menu?

As a rule, there is no access to the menu if the screen is “captured” by a banner requiring you to top up your phone number or bank card. What to do in this situation?

Attention! Under no circumstances should you transfer money to the specified details. Fraudsters won't unlock your phone.

The first thing you need to do is remove the SIM card from the device. Otherwise, the virus can devastate it in a short time.
You should boot your phone in safe mode. No need to worry: the banner will not appear in this case, since only basic applications necessary for the functioning of the operating system will work.
You should go to the menu and disable administrator rights for all programs.
Unknown applications must be removed.
Next, you should reboot the device.

If it doesn’t help, the standard method of resetting the settings would be a completely reasonable solution.

Firmware change

The question of how to remove a virus from Android, which is deeply embedded in the firmware, interests many people. Let's look at several effective ways.

It must be said right away that a banal reset will not help. Such viruses are built into the operating system and receive root rights, which (by standard) even the user himself does not have.

The most effective and, perhaps, simplest solution for experienced owners is to change the firmware. If you are concerned about the safety of all the files that are on the device, then you can always make a “backup”. However, some devices have a similar function in the public domain, while others require administrator rights for this. It is best to download the firmware from the official resource. If you wish, you can install any other one, not necessarily the one that is factory. Just use the search engine and find the version you need for your phone.