1. tickerguy's Avatar
    I run Avast on my PC, and like it.

    But on an Android device, especially the BlackBerry line? Nope.

    FWIW I'm a network security professional and was one of the original Internet pioneers in the 1990s...
    12-01-16 10:16 PM
  2. johnlen7's Avatar
    Lol relax it was a joke. And actually never use the browser for CB, I use the app. With that said, i visit lots of sites in my browser and have never encountered a pop up advertisement as other here have also stated.
    Go ahead and use your anti virus as your firm requires but just so you know, i know of people who work in the banking sector and their banks don't even require an antivirus on their Android devices under whatever MDM they are using. Not sure who you work for but I bet banks are just as security conscience if not more then your firm.
    It depends. MDM is a very broad topic. People use it for various purposes like just for providing emails to directly connecting the mobile devices to the servers etc etc. Also MDM strategies varie like BYOD, COPE, COYD which dictate the level of control you have on the devices and how you want to use them.
    12-03-16 12:52 AM
  3. southlander's Avatar
    Not really. Really depends on what you do with the phone. If you use only Google play and only install mainstream apps. No. If you sideload APKs, or use third party app stores. That's different. Also your browsing habits matter. Visiting seedy sites always runs more a risk of a zero day in a random link etc.
    12-03-16 01:07 AM
  4. johnlen7's Avatar
    I run Avast on my PC, and like it.

    But on an Android device, especially the BlackBerry line? Nope.

    FWIW I'm a network security professional and was one of the original Internet pioneers in the 1990s...
    Kaspersky Labs reports that 98% of all Malwares is targeted at Android Platform.

    Specific to Blackberry, I dont want to make any statements...but its not at all a bad idea to use an End point security especially because Dtek is just a monitoring software which will look into apps and its usage. it doesn't look into pre loaded apps either say for example...Google apps and its usage. Also, dtek cannot find whether your traffic is being sniffed, cannot look into your browsing whether you are in a malicious site or clicked a malicious link...just an example. (Please correct me if my understanding about Dtek is wrong)

    Yes, BlackBerry have hardened the device...but does Dtek do everything that a Trend Micro or a Mcafee or a Kaspersky do? Not really

    Again it depends on individuals. A common man may think that this a bit too much security. Some like me in the field and who are responsible for an Organisation's security are always concerned and hope that the world is a very secure place... :P Maybe a bit overkill for many lol

    Still, my recommendation is that every Android device do have an End point security software...you dont mind those pre installed bloatware apps on your mobile do you...so why should a Guardian Angel bother you.
    12-03-16 01:16 AM
  5. tickerguy's Avatar
    Because they CAN'T work without kernel-level access and on "modern" androids (including BlackBerry specifically) user-loaded applications cannot obtain root, so they have no means to actually do anything useful.

    On a PC an AV can interdict because it runs with privilege. This is simply not true in the Android handset world.
    12-03-16 08:04 AM
  6. arkenoi's Avatar
    I am cyber security professional as well amd my answer is DEFINITELY NO.

    Mobile av is snake oil/bs.

    Why?

    Just think.
    If there is a malicious app, an antivirus would NOT recognize it until it is known bad (to the Google Play as well)
    And once Google knows it is bad, there is NO need for an antivirus.
    Just it.
    DenverRalphy likes this.
    12-03-16 11:16 AM
  7. igorochek's Avatar
    So it is no difference between rooted and official android from the point of security? Both are in the same boat and KNOX and DTEK applications useless?
    Thank you for your comments, it is really important for me before step to android from BB10




    Posted via CB10
    12-03-16 11:44 AM
  8. DenverRalphy's Avatar
    Android has its own AV built in via the "Verify Apps" setting (on by default). When a 3rd party AV solution releases updates to identify a new breed of malware, so too does Google Play Services update everybody's "Verify Apps" database. Sometimes Verify Apps gets updated before a 3rd party solution, as well sometimes the 3rd party solution sees an update before Verify Apps. But the difference in time before deployment for either option is usually measured in hours, not days, because Google and the 3rd party AV solutions are partnered to contribute to a shared library/knowledge-base.

    Unless a user goes out of his way to enable installations from "unkown sources", and then intentionally disables "verify apps", there's no actual benefit to installing a 3rd party AV solution.
    arkenoi likes this.
    12-03-16 12:11 PM
  9. southlander's Avatar
    Kaspersky Labs reports that 98% of all Malwares is targeted at Android Platform.
    Possibly. But targeting a user who is using some shady apk downloads site and has their device set to install from untrusted sources is a whole different thing from targeting someone who only downloads mainstream apps from Google play.

    Unlike with iOS where basically every iPhone is the same and installs only from the app store. Yes I know you can jailbreak.

    Android likely sees a wider variety of behavior. Some manufacturers roll their own app stores etc. Most of the covert spying on users seems to be in China etc. And on devices you'd not be buying a US carrier store. But technically that's all Android as well.
    12-23-16 09:08 PM
  10. CNX66's Avatar
    We are just having a discussion.

    The point for me is that there has to be an absolute show-stopper reason to keep a giant blob of monitoring software continually running, consuming resources and battery. I see no reasonable attack vector which could not be defended against through safe computing.
    Hahahaha.
    12-24-16 02:42 AM
  11. aecgda's Avatar
    Look, there's no need to take offense. But if you're going to make a broad generalization on a forum with many users, cite some specific examples of how a user can be exploited without knowledge/scenarios, post a link to a recommended article etc.
    Let it go.
    12-24-16 04:04 AM
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