Viruses in mobile phone advertisements. How to Remove a Virus or Trojan from an Android Phone: The Best Ways
Hello dear friends! Currently, modern mobile phones are portable mini computers that are used by billions of people every day. In connection with the expansion of the capabilities of mobile phones (visiting sites on the Internet), cases of infection of gadgets are increasing exponentially.
It is not difficult to find out that a smartphone is infected with a virus, as the device will “live its own life”. To save a gadget from the negative impact of a virus attack, you will need to use viral applications.
What are phone viruses and how do they attack gadgets?
You can find out that a smartphone is infected with a virus by the following signs:
1. Decrease in the speed of the phone - applications load slowly, response time increases, and freezes are observed in the process of running programs.
2. Decrease in the balance on the phone, although the user did not make paid calls.
3. Crashes on mobile programs and applications.
What kind of failure will be observed on the phone, it all depends on the type of virus that has infected the gadget. If the phone gets infected with viruses, the consequences will only get worse. To prevent negative consequences, you need to cure the phone, for which special antivirus applications are used.
How do viruses get into the phone and infect it, you ask?
Before removing the virus, you need to understand how they appear on the phone. One of the most popular viruses on computers and phones is Trojan. How it can get to your gadget:
-> Installing software on the device without first checking its reliability.
-> Visit resources for adults. It is on such pages that a large number of viruses are contained that infect the device.
-> When downloading files via torrents.
-> When looking for different ways to make money.
-> When installing various applications.
-> When browsing forums and following unknown links.
To remove a virus on your phone and cure it from various "glitches" and failures, you do not need to carry it to a service center. Unless, of course, only the device continues to work. To get rid of viruses, you need to install an anti-virus application on your phone.
How do I remove viruses on my phone?
To get rid of virus programs on your phone, you need to download an antivirus to your phone, install it and scan your gadget. How to implement this is shown on the example of the Dr.Web anti-virus program. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- We go to PlayMarket, where you need to write "Doctor Web" in the search bar.
- Select the appropriate file to download from the proposed list.
- Download it and install it on your smartphone.
After installation, the file needs to be run.
A message confirming that the license agreement has been accepted will appear on the screen. To continue, you need to accept and agree with the license offer by clicking the "Accept" button.
The message "Allow the application ..." appears on the screen, with which you must also agree by clicking the "Allow" button.
If you have selected a paid phone application, you will need to purchase a license. If you buy a license, your phone will be permanently protected by one of the most powerful anti-virus applications Doctor Web.
In order not to spend money on buying a license, you can activate the trial version for 14 days. To do this, you need to click on the button “Get a demo for 14 days.
The application will inform you until what date the free license will be valid.
After activating a paid license or demo version, the application will start. The rating status of your gadget will be displayed at the top. If the program does not detect any problems, you will see the message "Device is protected".
If the program did not find any problems, this does not mean that there are no viruses. To find vulnerabilities, you need to launch the "Scanner". To do this, select the item "Scanner", which is located at the top of the screen.
The next window opens, in which the application offers to choose the optimal scanning method: fast, full selective. It is recommended to carry out a full check of the phone, for which we select "Full check".
The process of scanning the phone and scanning for viruses will begin. The duration of the check depends on the memory capacity of your device. This usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. If you choose a quick scan, then the scan duration will not exceed 5 minutes.
After the scan is finished, the screen will display information about the viruses that were detected by the scanner. The program itself will suggest what to do with these files (if they are found).
In addition to the anti-virus application Doctor Web, you can also use the following programs:
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus.
After checking, the antivirus did not detect viruses. If you are sure that they are there, then it is recommended to download Kaspersky Anti-Virus and scan the phone with it. If Kaspersky does not find viruses, then they are absent on your smartphone.
What other useful options are there in the Dr.Web antivirus application?
In addition to the scanner, the Doctor Web application has many useful options that will help increase the protection of your gadget. These options include:
Call and SMS filter. In this section, you can set a filter for receiving calls and SMS messages.
URL filter. With its help, you can restrict access to certain sites and Internet resources that can harm the device.
Anti-theft - if you lose your phone, then when the Anti-theft function is activated, you can find it. This option allows you to control the device remotely.
Parental Control - allows you to restrict access to certain programs and applications on your phone.
Firewall - allows you to control network activity. With this option, you can control internet traffic.
Checking and cleaning the browser from the virus
If the virus got into the phone through the browser, then it will not be superfluous to clear the traces of the "pest". To do this, you need to do a number of the following actions:
Open a browser you use frequently.
Enter the browser menu - three vertical dots in the upper right corner.
Go to "Settings".
Find the "Clear data" section. Depending on the browser, the information about the data may differ and it may be called “Personal Data”.
It is in the CACHE memory that many different threats are very often stored.
What to do if the antivirus does not help remove the virus
If there is a virus on the phone, the anti-virus application will find it. However, there are cases when viruses are various automatically installed applications or banners that cover the screen. If you have a lot of applications on your phone that you did not install, then you just need to manually uninstall them. To do this, go to the "Settings" section of the phone, then select the "Applications" section and find unnecessary programs. Select them and delete them from the phone memory.
If the virus closes the smartphone screen (looks like a banner), then you need to do the following:
It is not possible to enter the phone menu, so we hold down the power off button and wait for the shutdown menu to appear on the screen.
We select the item "Turn off the power" by pressing on it with your finger and holding it until the window for switching to safe mode appears. The process for entering Safe Mode may vary on different phone models.
After entering safe mode, you need to do the following:
Go to "Applications" and clear all suspicious objects.
Perform a deep scan with an antivirus.
Restart your phone.
If the phone cannot be cured, then you can always return to the factory settings. It is recommended to first remove the memory card from the phone. After returning to factory settings, the phone will work like new.
In conclusion, it should be noted that you can clean the phone from viruses using a computer. To do this, you need to connect the gadget to the computer, run the antivirus on the PC, specify the scan object, and wait for the process to end.
As you can see, there are enough methods, and any smartphone user can implement them without the help of service centers.
Recently, the number of virus programs written for the Android OS has been growing rapidly. And it's very easy to get them on your mobile device. Smartphones and tablets often store confidential information and resources for e-wallet transactions. Attackers are trying to seize this data to steal money using virus programs. Therefore, it is important to know the signs of a device infection, as well as how to remove a virus from an Android phone and protect it from re-infections.
Unfortunately, the Android OS is open to virus threats. Fortunately, it is curable 🙂
Malicious programs can significantly affect the operation of a smartphone and even cause it to fail. Below are some signs of a gadget virus infection:
- the phone starts up longer than usual, slows down a lot or there is a sudden restart;
- without your knowledge, paid SMS-messages are sent or outgoing calls appear;
- if funds are debited from the phone account;
- the appearance of annoying ads in the browser or on the desktop;
- screen lock with a requirement to transfer money to an unknown account to unblock;
- if it is impossible to get access to electronic wallets or there are monetary transactions that you have not performed;
- an unknown person gained access to your social media account, which you use from a mobile device;
- applications do not start or some functions are blocked;
- the phone battery runs out very quickly.
If one or more of these symptoms appear, we recommend that you scan your device for viruses.
If you find symptoms of a virus infection on your phone, do not despair. Follow the instructions below
Ways to fight viruses in Android OS
There are different ways to successfully remove a virus from your phone.
To avoid the need to fight the virus, it is best to prevent it from getting into your gadget. The simple rule of thumb is that you should only install apps from official app stores like the Play Store or PlayMarket.
Cleaning your phone with antivirus
All kinds of antiviruses for Android also provide reliable protection. The most popular of them are: Dr. Web, Avast, Kasperskiy and others. This software is recommended to be downloaded from the official website of the developer. Typically, anti-virus programs run in the background and, if a threat is detected, they report the problem.
Before you clean Android from viruses, you need to run a full scan of the device's internal memory and memory card. If the anti-virus detects a malicious program, you should select the "Delete" function. In this case, it is better to quarantine a neutralized copy of the application if the protection program mistakenly identified it as a virus.
It should be noted that application scanning helps to detect and remove malicious software by no means in all cases. Many virus programs are protected against deletion and can recover. In addition, the device can be partially or completely blocked and it is generally impossible to run anti-virus programs. Therefore, the question arises of how to remove a virus from an Android phone if it is not removed by an antivirus.
How to clean your smartphone in safe mode
If you could not remove the dangerous software in the usual way, you can try to do it in a safe way. Since virus programs are usually inactive in the safe mode of operation of the device, you can try to destroy them.
To switch the gadget to safe mode for a version higher than Android 4.0, press the power button. Then, in the menu window, hold your finger on the line "Turn off the power" until a window appears with the message "Switch to safe mode". Click OK.
For versions of Android 4.0 and below, you need to turn off and turn on the device in the usual way. During startup, when the Android logo appears on the screen, press the volume up and down buttons at the same time. You need to hold them until the system is fully loaded.
Now the device has entered a safe mode of operation and you can scan it with an antivirus program. If you don't have one in your phone or it won't start, you should install it from the app store.
Thus, viruses that impose advertisements or download various applications to boost ratings are effectively removed.
To return to normal mode, you just need to reboot the device.
How to remove a virus from an Android phone via a computer
Another way is by connecting it to a computer. It is used when the functions of the smartphone are partially or completely blocked.
Usually, the antivirus of the computer, when connecting any device to the PC, automatically asks for a scan. But if there is no such function, then you need to manually select the phone memory for scanning in the settings of the antivirus program of your computer.
To do this, you need:
- When connecting a smartphone to a computer, select the "As USB storage" option.
- In the "Computer" folder on the stationary PC, logical drives will appear, denoting the internal memory of the gadget and the SD card, if any.
- In the context menu of each of the disks, select the "Check for viruses" function. Scanning started.
Reset phone settings on Android
If none of the methods gave results, and the virus is not removed, then you should resort to at least - a factory reset. Although this is the most efficient method, it will delete all user information from the internal memory.
Therefore, the necessary photos, music, videos and documents must be copied to other media before resetting. When doing this, be careful not to accidentally transfer the virus along with your data.
To restore factory settings through the system menu, you need to go to "Options" and open the "Personal" folder. Then click "Backup" and select the "Reset with restoring factory settings" function. After restarting the device, the choice of language and other settings will be offered.
Prevention of viral infection of Android devices
It is better to prevent the threat of a virus infection than to fight against malicious software. Therefore, in order to protect your mobile device, you should follow these simple tips:
- You need to download and install applications from official sites and do not use hacked programs.
- Install an antivirus program and activate it.
- Do not put the gadget in developer mode. This can make it more vulnerable to viruses.
Adware viruses on Android are a common phenomenon, which is often associated with inattention and ignorance of the user in terms of installing third-party applications. As a result, they see huge banners on their screens and sometimes even threats like “send an SMS to this number or your phone will be blocked”. How to remove ads on Android - read on Treshbox.
Defining the problem
First of all, you need to find out what exactly you are dealing with. If ads start to appear on your device on top of all applications, it means that an adware Trojan has penetrated your Android. They are of different types:- Common adware viruses that are installed with malicious applications.
- Adware viruses that are installed as system applications.
- Trojans that are embedded in the firmware.
The former can be removed using standard Android operating system tools, that is, go to the settings, find the malware and remove it from the device. Viruses of the second and third types can be removed only by obtaining root rights and special programs, or simply by flashing the gadget.
We remove the simplest viruses on Android
First, remember what you installed on your smartphone or tablet ahead of the ad. Define the scope of these programs. The AirPush Detector program can help with this. It scans all apps for banner ads.If the ads and overlapping messages prevent your smartphone from working properly, then it doesn't matter. In this case, you need reboot into Android Safe Mode... To boot into Safe Mode on Android, you need: 
Safe mode on Android is a state where you can use the system without all third-party applications. That is, those same advertising banners and messages are not shown in it.
Go to Settings → Security → Device Administrators. All programs that have administrator rights are shown here. If any suspicious malware is present there, then remove the rights from them.
After that, go to Settings → Applications. We search there for all potential malware and remove it. After that, we reboot again, but in normal mode. Everything should be fine, and if not, read the instructions below.
Full reset
If you want to be completely sure that the virus has been removed, then do a hard reset.
There are two ways to trigger a reset:
Through settings:
- Go to Settings → Backup & reset.
- There, find the item "Reset settings". Choose it.
- Click the Reset Phone Settings button.
How to remove system viruses on Android
Many viruses on Android get administrator and root rights and are deeply embedded in the firmware. You can deal with them in different ways.Method one - flashing
The most reliable and easiest way to get rid of a virus rooted in the system is to reflash your smartphone. In order not to lose all data, you can back up applications using Titanium Backup, but for this you need to get root access. Backups should be saved to an SD card, if available. This requires the Pro version of the Titanium Backup application.
Transferring Titanium Backup to SD Card - Left to Right
The firmware for your device can be found on various resources. It could be CyanogenMod, official firmware, or some kind of modification. To find the firmware for your gadget, just use a search engine.
Method two - getting root and deleting manually
Advanced users can remove the virus from Android in a more sophisticated but reliable way. It consists in obtaining root rights on the device and manually deleting all virus data. There are a lot of ways to get root rights. The easiest one is to do it using a computer through KingoRoot.
After receiving the root on Android, you need to install applications such as Root Explorer and Titanium Backup:
With the help of Root Explorer, you can check all Android system folders for suspicious APK files and directories with viruses. Whatever rights the Trojan has, Root Explorer will be able to remove it. Mostly viral APKs and folders are located in the / system / app / or / system / xbin / directory.
Titanium Backup can remove almost all applications, so it can be used to remove the infected program.
Install antivirus on Android
An antivirus or a simple malware scanner will not only help cure an already infected Android, but also prevent it from happening in the future.
The Treshbox editorial staff may recommend the following antiviruses for Android:
All these programs are able to find malware and destroy it.
Why did your mobile phone suddenly start behaving differently, or even “live” with its “life”? Perhaps because a malicious program has settled in it. Today the number of viruses and Trojans for Android is growing exponentially. Why? Yes, because the cunning guys-virus writers know that smartphones and tablets are increasingly used by our fellow citizens as electronic wallets, and they are doing everything to move funds from the accounts of the owners into their pockets. Let's talk about how to understand that a mobile device has caught an infection, how to remove a virus from Android and protect yourself from re-infections.
Symptoms of a virus infection of an Android device
- The gadget turns on for longer than usual, slows down or suddenly reboots.
- The history of SMS and phone calls contains outgoing messages and calls that you did not make.
- Money is debited from your phone account by itself.
- Ads that are not associated with any application or site are displayed on your desktop or browser.
- Programs are installed by themselves, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or a camera are turned on.
- Access to e-wallets, mobile banking has disappeared or, for unknown reasons, the amount on the accounts has decreased.
- Someone has taken over your account on social networks or messengers (if used on a mobile device).
- The gadget is locked, and a message is displayed on the screen that you have violated something and must pay a fine or simply transfer money to someone to unlock it.
- Applications suddenly stopped starting, access to folders and files was lost, some device functions were blocked (for example, buttons were not pressed).
- When launching programs, messages pop up like "an error has occurred in the com.android.systemUI application."
- Unknown icons appeared in the list of applications, and unknown processes in the task manager.
- The antivirus program informs you about the detection of malicious objects.
- The antivirus program uninstalled itself from the device or does not start.
- The battery of your phone or tablet is starting to drain faster than ever.
Not all of these symptoms are 100% indicative of a virus, but each is a reason to immediately scan the device for infection.
The easiest way to remove a mobile virus
If the gadget is still working, the easiest way is to remove the virus using the antivirus installed on Android. Run a full scan of the phone's flash memory, if a malicious object is detected, select the "Delete" option, saving the neutralized copy in quarantine (in case the antivirus identifies itself and takes something safe for a virus).
Unfortunately, this method helps in about 30-40% of cases, since most malicious objects actively resist being removed. But the rule exists on them. Next, we'll look at options for action when:
- the antivirus does not start, does not detect or remove the source of the problem;
- the malware is restored after deletion;
- the device (or its individual functions) are locked.
Remove malware in safe mode
If you can't clean your phone or tablet normally, try Safely. Most malicious programs (not only mobile ones) show no activity in safe mode and do not interfere with their destruction.
To boot the device in safe mode, press the on / off button, place your finger on “Power off” and hold it until the message “Entering safe mode” appears. Then click OK.
If you have an old version of Android - 4.0 or lower, turn off the gadget in the usual way and turn it on again. When the Android logo appears on the screen, press the volume up and down keys at the same time. Hold them until the device boots up completely.
While in safe mode, scan your device with antivirus. If there is no antivirus or it does not start for some reason, install (or reinstall) it from Google Play.
In this way, advertising viruses such as Android.Gmobi 1 and Android.Gmobi.3 (according to Dr. Web classification), which download various programs to the phone (in order to increase the rating), and also display banners and ads on the desktop, are successfully removed.
If you have superuser (root) rights and you know exactly what exactly caused the problem, start a file manager (for example, Root explorer), follow the path where this file is located and delete it. Most often, mobile viruses and Trojans place their bodies (executable files with the .apk extension) in the system / app directory.
To return to normal mode, simply reboot the device.
Removing mobile viruses from a computer
Removing viruses on the phone through a computer helps out when the mobile antivirus cannot cope with its task even in safe mode or the device's functions are partially blocked.
Removing a virus from a tablet and phone using a computer is also possible in two ways:
- using antivirus installed on the PC;
- manually through a file manager for Android gadgets, for example, Android Commander.
We use antivirus on the computer
To check the files of the mobile device with the antivirus installed on the computer, connect the phone or tablet to the PC with a USB cable, choosing the "Like USB storage" method.
Next turn on USB.
After that, 2 additional "disks" will appear in the "Computer" folder on the PC - the internal memory of the phone and the SD card. To start scanning, open the context menu of each disk and click "Check for viruses".
Removing malware via Android Commander
Android Commander is a program for exchanging files between an Android mobile gadget and a PC. Running on a computer, it provides the owner with access to the memory of the tablet or phone, allows you to copy, move and delete any data.
For full access to all the contents of an android gadget, you need to get root rights in advance and enable USB debugging. The latter is activated through the service application "Options" - "System" - "Developer options".
Next, connect the gadget to your PC as a USB drive and run Android Commander with administrator rights. In it, unlike Windows Explorer, protected system files and directories of the Android OS are displayed - just like, for example, in Root Explorer, a file manager for root users.
The right half of the Android Commander window shows the directories of the mobile device. Find the executable file of the application (with the .apk extension) in them, which is causing the problem, and delete it. Alternatively, copy suspicious folders from your phone to your computer and scan each of them with an antivirus.
What to do if the virus is not removed
If the above operations did not lead to anything, the malicious program still makes itself felt, and if the operating system after cleaning has ceased to function normally, you will have to resort to one of the radical measures:
- reset with restoration of factory settings via the system menu;
- hard reset via the Recovery menu;
- flashing the device.
Any of these methods will bring the device to the state as after purchase - no user programs, personal settings, files and other information (data about SMS, calls, etc.) will remain on it. Your Google account will also be deleted. Therefore, if possible, transfer the phone book to the SIM card and copy paid applications and other valuable items to external media. It is advisable to do it manually - without using special programs, so as not to accidentally copy the virus. Then proceed to the "treatment".
Restoring factory settings through the system menu
This option is the easiest. It can be used when the functions of the operating system and the device itself are not locked.
Go to the "Settings" application, open the "Personal" - "Backup" section and select "Factory data reset".
Hard reset via the Recovery menu
A "hard" reset will help to cope with malware if it cannot be removed by any of the above methods or if it has blocked the login. To our delight, access to the Recovery menu is still available.
Login to Recovery on different phones and tablets is done differently. On some, for this you need to hold down the "Volume +" key when turning on, on others - "Volume-", on the third - press a special recessed button, etc. The exact information is contained in the instructions for the device.
In the Recovery menu, select the option "wipe data / factory reset" or simply "factory reset".
Flashing
A flashing is essentially a reinstallation of the Android OS, the same last resort as reinstalling Windows on a computer. It is used in exceptional cases, for example, when a certain Chinese virus is embedded directly into the firmware and lives on the device from the moment of its "birth". One such malware is the android spy 128 origin spyware.
To flash a phone or tablet, you will need root rights, a distribution kit (the firmware itself), an installation program, a computer with a USB cable or an SD card. Remember that for each gadget model its own, individual firmware versions are released. Installation instructions are usually included with them.
How to avoid virus infection of Android devices
- Install mobile applications only from trusted sources, abandon hacked programs.
- Update the device as system updates are released - in them, the developers fix vulnerabilities that are used by viruses and Trojans.
- Install a mobile antivirus and keep it always on.
- If the gadget serves as your wallet, do not allow other people to access the Internet or open unverified files on it.
The problem of the security of mobile devices is one of the most urgent today. There are many questions about the protection of personal data on your phone. Not everyone can find the answer to them. Most malicious programs are advertisements and banners, but even among them there are extremely unpleasant viruses, the purpose of which is to siphon money from a mobile account, make purchases and transfers from your bank card linked to your account, and copy your personal information: contacts , photo, video, SMS - messages. So how do you remove a virus from your phone? First, let's figure out how to understand that the device is infected:
- Advertising banners appear. It is an adware virus. Announcements, notifications come to the desktop, in the browser, even when you are not online.
- The smartphone itself downloads and installs applications.
- Materials on the map or in the internal storage are not available: damaged or deleted.
- Some applications do not work correctly, "crash", spontaneously close.
- The phone overheats and runs out of battery quickly.
- There were SMS-mailings to unfamiliar numbers, advertising. This is an SMS virus that is dangerous with a possible leak of personal data.
The article describes tips on how to properly remove a virus from Android and more. Let's look at several options.
Antivirus check
Scanning a smartphone via a computer
It's no secret that viruses that infect the PC operating system are much more diverse and more dangerous than their "younger brothers" on Android. Consider the same Petya virus that infected corporate computers around the world and inflicted enormous damage on asset management companies. It is because of such moments that antiviruses that protect your PC are much more powerful and productive. To check your mobile device using PC antivirus, in the "Settings" menu, check the box next to the "USB debugging" item. Then connect the smartphone to the computer via USB - cable and scan the PC with an antivirus. Despite the fact that mobile viruses have a different program code, the defender on the computer can easily cope with it.
Removing a virus manually
This removal option implies tracking malware through the Manager of Running Applications to identify the infected file. First you need to go to the "Settings" menu and open the "Application Manager". After that, find the "Running Applications" tab and see which ones are currently running.
Be careful! When using this method, it is possible to close "healthy" system programs, which can lead to incorrect operation of the mobile OS. After you have found an unknown program, find the root folder with the infected .apk file and delete it. After all these operations, reboot the device.
Removing a virus from an Android phone in safe mode
Sometimes the program blocks the system functions of the device and the malicious file is not deleted. Then you need to go to safe mode, in which only system applications are launched. For this:
- hold down the power key of your smartphone until a window appears asking you to turn off the device;
- press with a long tap on the "Disable" option. The Go to Safe Mode icon will appear;
- wait for the phone to reboot;
- remove applications and files that you could not remove before.
The possibility that the activity of the remote malware will resume is minimal.
Rollback to factory settings
Unless it can be removed by other means, this virus removal method is the most recent and most radical. When you use a factory rollback, all information stored on your smartphone will be destroyed, and the phone will return to its original form in which you purchased it. In order to save all the information, we recommend copying it either to the cloud storage or to your PC. This type of struggle is the simplest and most effective, and also suitable for "beginners".
How not to get infected?
It is impossible to protect one hundred percent from infected files, but you can significantly protect yourself from the possible risk. To do this, you should follow a few rules:
Viruses on a smartphone can be removed quite easily and quickly, but it is still better to avoid such situations and adhere to the security rules listed above.
