McAfee^® Mobile Security for Android

Like computers, Android devices may be susceptible to unwelcome spyware, malware, viruses, phishing and even ransomware that can hold your device hostage until you pay a fee. That’s why there’s McAfee Mobile Security — a powerful antivirus that can stop malicious viruses in their tracks. Along with unmatched protection, the app can also improve the overall ease of use of your device. 

McAfee is one of the biggest names in software around the world, protecting users on a number of devices. With just one tap, users can scan their devices for dangerous or infected apps, giving you comprehensive protection against viruses, spyware and other harmful digital enemies.

The Android operating system is the most widely used in the world. Of course, this also means that it can be the most vulnerable. It’s important to have high functioning security apps and tools installed on your device to fend off predators that target Android due to its widespread usage.

Malware can infect your device via fake or harmful apps. These apps are often disguised in the Google Play store or sneak into third party apps without you knowing.

Tech Radar reports that Android often struggles with updating its security features, which makes it easy for hackers to invade. These updates are critical in fixing bugs or other vulnerabilities and close any entry points to cyberattackers. These delays in finding and updating security issues make it especially important that you install an antivirus that can quickly detect issues and protect your data. 

The term “virus” is taken from the PC world, referring to a program that can replicate itself by latching onto another program. Android phones don’t get viruses in the technical sense, but they are vulnerable to malicious virus-like software that can wreak havoc on your system.

Though mobile “viruses” don’t actually replicate themselves, they can cause a whole host of problems like the ones mentioned above. Because of this, special antivirus software has been developed specifically for mobile devices to target these unique threats. 

The primary role of an antivirus app is to scan other apps on your Android device and verify their status against a list of known compromised apps. The antivirus app also looks for “rooted” devices, where unauthorized users have accessed information on your device.

McAfee Mobile Security is the ultimate protection for your mobile life that offers award-winning security and privacy protection for your mobile devices with three tiers to choose from based on your needs. Our mobile security product warns you about risky websites, phishing links and malicious apps so you can browse, shop and bank with confidence. When you’re connected to public hotspots or unsecure Wi-Fi, we’ll alert you, so you can connect to Wi-Fi Guard VPN and keep your data private. McAfee Mobile Security also protects your device if you lose it, allowing you to find it on a map, take a picture if someone tries to unlock it and wipe the data if it falls into the wrong hands.

Safe Web is available in the Standard and Plus plans.
Wi-Fi Guard VPN is only available in the Plus plan.

We’ve outlined the quick and easy steps to start protecting your Android device:

1. Use your device to open the Google Play store
2. Search for “McAfee Mobile Security”
   
3. Tap the “Install” button and allow the app to download
   
4. Launch the app to accept the user terms and conditions
5. Upon accepting the terms and privacy notice, your protection begins immediately. Follow the on-screen instructions to understand how to use the app to its potential.

If you’re like most mobile device users, your Android phone contains a lot of your personal data: email, passwords, credit cards, phone numbers and GPS tracking to name a few. All of these things can be compromised by cyber attackers, so it’s essential to minimize any vulnerabilities. We’re making it easy to get the protection you deserve — take advantage of our free trial today and enjoy greater peace of mind every time you use your phone.

Visit the Google Play store and search for McAfee Mobile Security. From there you can download the app for free.

After you download McAfee Mobile Security for Android, follow the on-screen instructions to install the application. You can use your existing McAfee account email address and password, or you can select to create a new account. Your mobile device and data are then protected for as long as you subscribe to McAfee Mobile Security.

You can cancel your subscription purchased through our website by contacting customer support at service.mcafee.com. For purchases made on the Google Play Store you can cancel directly on your device.

No, McAfee Mobile Security Standard and Plus plans will only give you access to McAfee Mobile Security and entitled to only one device.

No. Your McAfee Mobile Security subscription can be used on only one device.

Yes, however, you must use the same account credentials. Ensure that you have all required credentials, including your McAfee email address and password, and the McAfee Mobile Security PIN, during activation.

At McAfee, we have seen a rapid growth in threats against mobile devices. Cybercriminals are attracted by the richness of data available from our mobile devices, such as banking credentials, photos, and sensitive personal information. That is why we put security at your fingertips providing peace of mind to you for your personal digital life. McAfee Mobile Security combines industry-leading security and award-winning antivirus with anti-theft protection into an all-encompassing integrated bundle, so you can prevent malicious activities, protect your online privacy, and recover from a lost or stolen device. 

It’s scary to think that someone could hack into your phone, but even scarier that you might not even know it’s happening. Most malware attacks happen in stealth mode. You may unknowingly download a harmful app or provide your sensitive information. In many cases, users find out their phone has been hacked when they receive surprise charges. 
This is why it’s so important to have an antivirus software working on your behalf. Antivirus apps scan your data and content to detect threats or issues. 
If you don’t have an antivirus, there are a few signs and symptoms you can keep an eye out for:

• Unfamiliar Apps: When unfamiliar apps pop up on your phone or bizarre messages are sent to numbers in your address book, you may have fallen victim to a hack. Once hackers take control of your device, things will start to look out of order. Hackers often crack devices to load their malicious files, or to cipher personal data for their advantage, so don’t just shrug it off when you see changes that you don’t remember making.
• Unexpected Gifts at Your Front Door: Have you started receiving random packages at home or work? Hate to break it to you, but they’re probably too good to be true (or you have a secret admirer). When hackers gain access to your phone, they most likely have access to all your payment information too. By keeping an eye on your credit card transactions and your mobile phone bill, you can detect early on if it looks like your payment information is at risk.
• Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot: If your phone suddenly can’t keep its charge, it’s possible that malware is running in the background. You may know approximately how long it takes for your mobile device to die depending on the apps you’ve got running. If you find it’s dying quicker than ever before, it could be a red flag that an outsider has gained access. Similarly, a mobile device that runs hot could be infected with malware, since the program will constantly run in the background.
• Spikes in Data Usage: If your data usage is increasing but you’re not sure why, malware may be to blame. This could mean that a program is running in the background, likely stealing your information and transmitting it back to cybercriminals. 
• App Crashing: Any app can crash, but if apps are crashing excessively and seemingly for no reason, your phone may be infected.
• Outrageous Phone Bill Increases: Your phone bill may skyrocket due to premium rate text messages. 
• Pop-ups for Adware: For the most part, pop-up ads aren’t harmful (just annoying). In many cases, these ads can be blocked with a free or paid-for ad blocker. However, if you’re seeing ads when your browser is closed, you could be dealing with a malware issue.
• Strange Apps: Most people know when they’ve downloaded an app, but if you see one you don’t recall, don’t open it! These “fake” apps should be deleted immediately.
• Overheating: When your phone gets hot, you usually can figure out why (e.g. it’s charging, it was left in a warm area, etc.). But overheating can also be symptomatic of a malware issue, so proceed with caution.
• Faster Battery Drain: If your battery isn’t lasting as long as it used to, it could be because malware is running in the background and draining your power.

Malware is a portmanteau of “malicious software”, which is software that’s designed for nefarious reasons. It steals money or information from the user, or may secretly take control of your device. It may track your location without you knowing, or take your files hostage and charge you a fee to get them back (this is referred to as ransomware).

There are several ways a harmful app can impact your device. Here are a few examples (but there are tons more!):

• Automatically enroll in premium services
• Send costly SMS text messages
  
• Record your conversations without your consent
  
• Collect personal data, including GPS-verified location, photos, emails and even banking information
  
• Incur surprise charges via data depletion or unauthorized purchases
  
• Take complete control of your device

If you’ve gone through the above list of symptoms and some of them hit too close to home, you might have a virus. The good news is you’re not stuck living with its effects. Here’s how to scan your phone for viruses:

1. Go to the Google Play store and download the free McAfee Mobile Security app for Android. This app will scan your phone’s files and apps for potential threats. 
2. Once you download the app, launch it and tap the “Scan” option.
   
3. The scan will finish in a few minutes, then alert you to its findings. 
   
4. If the app finds a threat, it will alert you. Tap “Resolve” to fix issues in real time, and McAfee will uninstall malicious apps. 
   

The short answer is yes, you can take a do it yourself approach to uninstalling malicious apps. Here’s how:

1. Go into Safe Mode: Just like on a Windows computer, your Android’s Safe Mode will disconnect from any third party apps that might be running. This can be extremely helpful in identifying the root causes of your device’s faulty behavior. If the issue disappears when you go into Safe Mode, then you can reasonably assume that a third party app is causing the problem. This also allows you to use your phone as normal. Your phone may require you to reboot to Safe Mode, while other devices may have different requirements. You should see the words “Safe Mode” on your device’s screen if you’ve done it correctly. 
2. Identify the Problematic App: Go to your Settings and select either the Manage Apps or Apps & Notifications tab (this may vary by Android device). From there, you’ll go to the Downloaded Apps or Installed Apps tab and look for any apps that seem suspicious — for example, you may find apps that you don’t remember downloading. Make sure you review all the apps in this list so that no detail goes overlooked.
   
3. Uninstall the Faulty App: In a perfect world, you should be able to manually uninstall the app with a simple tap. This should remove the malware from your device with no further action required. However, some malicious applications like to make you work for removal. In some instances, the app has requested administrator access and will not allow you to simply tap the Uninstall button (this button will be greyed out). If the Uninstall button doesn’t work, go to the next step. 
   
4. Revoke Admin Access: Head back to your Settings and look for the Security tab. From there, go to Device Administrators or the rough equivalent and see if the app has requested access. If so, you can tap the app and deactivate it or uncheck the box. Now, you can go back to Step 3 and uninstall the malicious app.
   

1. Run mobile security software: Protect your device from the inside out with comprehensive security software. McAfee Mobile Security for Android helps to protect your device and its data from hackers. Everyone loves fun apps, what’s one more? 
2. Be careful about browsing on public Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi connections that promise fast, free Internet can be easy bait for mobile phone users. We have all found ourselves desperate for Internet access, but be choosy of networks. By accessing a compromised one, cybercriminals could also access your personal information. 
3. Keep your phone updated: Mobile operating systems are regularly updated to provide enhanced security built to defend against updated threats. It may feel like just another task, but the consequences of ignoring the update could ultimately be much more time-consuming than the half hour it takes for your mobile device to reboot. 
4. Check your credit card statements regularly: I know—no one enjoys checking their credit card statements, but it’s a fact of life that we just can’t ignore. You’ll be even more shocked if you receive your bill and it appears as though someone else had a shopping spree of their own. If you do see suspicious payments pop up on your credit card, cancel it immediately. 

Please visit our knowledge center for more questions.