Evil lurks behind every corner: Our Android phones, like our computers, can be infected with malware. And this is of particular importance in all of this. Sensitive data we keep it in. Even more so if, like me, you are dedicated to discovering new apps from a wide variety of places.

APK files are a major source of virus penetration, and even if we download them from the Play Store, we are not always covered. Fortunately, there is a very simple way to scan the files we download from the internet: a simple Telegram bot. Here’s how I do it prevent my cell phone from getting viruses.

Antivirus without downloading anything

A virus can infect our mobile phone and although it is common for it to show certain symptoms that give it away, this is not always the case. type of malwareThey may even be able to take control of some aspects, and that is something I would never have imagined under any circumstances, so it is worth examining three critical permissions.

But I still face some risks Installing applications in APK format I downloaded it from the Internet. I guess there are commercial accidents, but thanks to a tool I got rid of the fear and I no longer hesitate to do it: Before installation, I run the file through an antivirus program to make sure it’s clean.

I’m not talking about an antivirus that you have to download and install, or even pay for: we’ve commented on the benefits of VirusTotal, a Google website, on other occasions. scanner from malware. Luckily for me, Telegram also has bots that mimic the way it works.

One of them is @VirusTotal_AV_bot, a community bot that uses the features of this powerful antivirus. It saves me the trouble of installing other similar solutions: with a few taps on the screen, I share the applications I download as APKs and in a few seconds full report.

In addition to reporting a possible infection, it lets me know when it was first analyzed (even by other users). For the rest, it has a simplicity that makes it easy for me to scan all APK applications without wasting much time.

To use it, access the previous link, start the bot, choose a language and it will be ready to analyze everything we share. It is that simple and free, which is no small feat. Now I do not hesitate before installing a suspicious APK file: This bot alleviates my fears.

Cover image | Microsoft Designer with editing

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