F-Secure for Android
Accepted Answer
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Hello,
Sorry for my reply. I am also only an F-Secure user.
Can I install F-Secure on my Android smartphone?
Yes, you can*.
-- F-Secure TOTAL is a multi-platform solution / subscription. You can use some of licenses on Android devices (*supported versions are Android 8.0 or newer now)
Partially obsolete offers:
-- F-Secure Internet Security (previously known as F-Secure SAFE) is also suitable, but if app-store based- then available only on Android, 1-device license. If web-based purchase, then similar to Total (probably).
-- F-Secure Mobile Security is another alternative for mobile platforms (such as Android) - but also limited to one device license. Maybe as an in-app purchase.
When subscription for desired product is bought, you can try to follow this rough guide 'how-to install on Android ' - Installing the product on your mobile device | Total | Latest | F-Secure User Guides (for example, new F-Secure TOTAL)
F-Secure app (as part of full TOTAL subscription) for Android is something like set of features:
- AV-scanner on demand; checking against apps and some files. if some of them are 'known' (or close to look) as harmful/suspicious or dangerous - app will inform you. Also, scan checks during installation of fresh apps or updates;
- Browsing Protection via SAFE Browser; With some possibilities of banking protection validation (meaning: SAFE Browser will inform you that visited bank page is legit);
- VPN Privacy feature;
- Password Vault (Manager) / Identity status Monitoring (Protection)
- optionally - possible to use it as a child profile with some Parental Control features.
I frequently use social media on it
Not really a lot of features to help with that side. Nothing special with its current version of F-Secure app. But.. still.
sometimes use unfamiliar websites to search for information, so it would be good to have protection against viruses and hacks.
If you will use SAFE Browser - it should not give an option to visit known harmful-rated or malicious websites. But, maybe, your favorite browser is something else and you cannot change your usual way to browse web.
I cannot say that F-Secure app for Android (as AV or something like that) is the most important or best solution. Well, just because without your own (user's) carefulness it will be really hard to protect device.
But there will be, at least, great basic protection. And such features like Privacy VPN, Password Vault and Identity Monitor are really nice.
I am also not sure that can to recommend any other solution which would provide 'perfect' protection for Android device against all cases.
Especially, I am not sure if any will protect against Android's vulnerabilities - in case of 'unknown' malware or threat trying to exploit it.
But against 'known' ones - F-Secure Android app is very well.
My reply is a bit of 'foggy' - and I will be happy to clarify or answer further questions.
And sorry for my English!
Thanks!
Answers
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Thank you very much for your answer!
The AV scanner, judging by your description, is a very useful thing! I'll have to try it out!
I have another question: is there a trial version of such an application with a period of at least 10 days? The fact is that I have not installed such applications before. So I'm worried that it might slow down my smartphone.
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Hello,
And very sorry for my long reply! I tried to make it not so big.. but not succeeded.
The AV scanner, judging by your description, is a very useful thing! I'll have to try it out!
Well, this is the only option which will add a third opinion about installed applications on your device.
I mean, the recommended way is to use only apps from official Google Play Store or related 'official' store (for your device). To install applications from 'outside' and directly from third-party source to your device (as .apk-file, for example) is a bit of risk; especially if you do not completely trust to this company or people behind it.
When app from official Play Store installed:
- first, you decided to choose it and use it because 'thinking' about it as a good software or tool;
- then Google with a bit of moderation and safety checks against application in their store. So, there is already less possibilities that application is clearly malicious;
- then security solution can scan it. In this case, F-Secure App will scan it after installation (immediately, real-time) and on-demand during manual scanning. If something tricky in app - F-Secure App will inform about it based on their knowledge.
As such, if you very careful with choosing applications - it is not that critical to use scanning against. But, from time to time, very helpful. Apps can be hacked (on the developer's side), can be adware or other types of PUA (Classification Guide | F-Secure) and so on.
With my own experience (and I am not really mobile devices user) - I got some detections on 'white label' devices about pre-installed applications. So, there is only way to "remove" them by 'disabling'. Another type was about second-hand device with some free applications - which probably tried to show 'undocumented' advertisements. So, blocked as a threat. But, blocked event was exactly about 'advertisement' itself rather than app - thus, I am not sure what it was (maybe just malfunctioned device).
You always can safely check functionality (with most of AV scanners on android) by using F-Secure's test Android file: play.google.com
Security solution should warn you about detected Eicar-test file at installation. Or per scanning.
is there a trial version of such an application with a period of at least 10 days? The fact is that I have not installed such applications before. So I'm worried that it might slow down my smartphone.
Yes, of course.
Again, it is depends on which solution you want to try. I mean, package/subscription. All of them should be with a trial-time, of course... but let's assume that it will be a F-Secure TOTAL (as the 'most' complete solution):
You can see there: F-Secure Total — One app to secure your digital moments | F-Secure
30 days of free trial ('Try for free' button). You need to register account and trial-days started. Then, it is possible to purchase a full-solution or discard it. Not need to pay after.
F-Secure TOTAL is a multi-platform subscription. You can use it on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Up to 'number' of devices in your package (for example, if up-to-five, then it can be: 2 Windows devices, 1 Mac, 1 iOS and 1 Android device OR any other variation).
Installation Online Guide for Android platform: Installing the product on your first device | Total | Latest | F-Secure User Guides
What about 'performance'. I do not think it might slow down your device, but some higher battery consumption is possible. As such, most of security solutions are designed to be as light as possible.
By the way, I use Google, and it seems to me to be a fairly safe browser. What do you think?
I think, it is so. They do a lot of security and updates are often for browser.
I do not really like Google Chrome. But this is my own option. As an alternative (when possible) - I do use Microsoft Edge on Android. Based on same technologies but for me with a bit more options to tweak.
There are a lot of good browsers. By choosing a well-known one as Google Chrome:
- it is more safe. Because more attention to security by developers;
- a bit more dangerous. Because based on its popularity - malicious actors tried to perform a tricks or exploits against exactly this browser.
With F-Secure TOTAL for android - there are two ways:
- you can use 'own' F-Secure SAFE Browser with built-in security features like blocking harmful-rated websites and some other things;
- you still can use Google Chrome (with an adult-profile installation; no Parental control in use), but F-Secure cannot easily block any harmful-rated web-pages there. As a workaround - you can use F-Secure's Privacy VPN option. So, some security tweaks and checks will be applied even for Google Chrome.
But, again, I am also only an F-Secure user. And this is only my own opinion.
and some other security companies can offer a browsing protection for any installed browser. But I am sure that F-Secure trying to use the best possible option with less interruption to user's privacy or device's permissions.
Thanks!
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