True or false: You need antivirus protection for your phone

February 22, 2025

By Kim Komando

I wrote about tech myths recently and missed a big one: “Phones can’t get viruses.”

Of course they can! Your phone is basically a mini-computer and a prime target for hackers. Let’s break down how these threats work and where they come from.

Red flags your phone is infected

The signs vary depending on what your device is infected with, of course. But these symptoms spell trouble:

• Data spike? Malware could be eating up your bandwidth.
• Sluggish phone, crashing apps? Not a good sign.
• Random pop-ups? That’s classic malware behavior.
• Battery draining fast? Something shady could be running in the background.
• Phone overheating? Malware might be overworking it.
• Weird charges on your bill? You may be signed up for something you never agreed to.
• New apps you didn’t install? Hackers may have added them.
• Homepage or search engine changed? That’s a red flag.
• Friends getting odd messages from you? Your phone could be compromised.
• Random restarts or shutdowns? Malware loves to mess with your system.

OK, how’d that happen?

Malware, adware, spyware and all the other types of malicious software generally come from a few places.

🔗 You clicked on a malicious link that arrived through a phishing email, text, messaging or social media app, or spoofed website. Security 101: Never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited messages.

📲 You downloaded a bad app. Scammers are good at creating fraudulent apps that look like the real thing. While these can end up in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, they’re most often distributed through third-party app sites. Only download apps from official app stores, please and thank you!

📶 You connected to public Wi-Fi. Cybercriminals can use public Wi-Fi to spy on unsuspecting users. They could steal your bank password, credit card details or Social Security number and infect your device with malware.

So, do you need antivirus software?

The answer is clear: Yes! While your phone has some built-in safeguards to protect you, the more help you can get, the better. 

If your phone isn’t protected by antivirus software, or if you’re depending on a free antivirus solution, or the price for your current antivirus has crept up, get the antivirus software I use and recommend: TotalAV.

• It protects you wherever you browse: All your gadgets need equal protection. TotalAV has you covered, whether you’re on your PC, Mac, iPhone or Android.
• It makes your tech run more efficiently: TotalAV can improve the performance of your smartphone, computer or tablet. It removes junk files to restore space, and it can reduce your background processes to improve battery life.
• It busts shady websites ahead of time: TotalAV stops you from landing on an untrustworthy site before that happens. Score.
• It gives you firewall protection: This is essential for protecting your device, or hackers could enter your system through an exposed networking port.

You can get this five-star protection for a steep discount. Right now, get TotalAV’s real-time antivirus protection across five devices for $100 off. An entire year of protection is just $19. I know you won’t find a better deal. I asked!
✅ Stop waiting for the worst to happen. Save 85% now on protection you can trust. I don’t get any kickbacks or residuals if you buy. Just want to keep you safe.