Can Your Samsung Galaxy Get A Virus From Chrome? Here's What We Know
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Most Samsung Galaxy smartphones come with Google Chrome or Samsung Internet as the default browser. Unlike the Safari app, the default browser on iOS, the pre-installed browsers on your Android smartphone are more vulnerable to security infiltration. Google Chrome, the most popular mobile browser, is no exception. Besides the security weakness, we've identified other issues with Google Chrome related to performance, privacy, and settings bloat.
However, Samsung Galaxy smartphones are equipped with security features to protect against malware. Before you download any files via a browser or Play Store, they're first scanned for viruses. Similarly, you can choose "Enhanced protection" on Google Chrome to prevent downloading files and extensions with malware. Even so, Android devices have the highest rate of malware compared to Windows, IoT, and iPhones — as reported by Panda Security. Of course, you should be concerned if your Samsung Galaxy can get a virus from Google Chrome. So, let's find out more.
Your Samsung Galaxy can get a virus from Google Chrome
It's possible to get malware on your Samsung Galaxy from Google Chrome if you visit malicious websites or download infected files. If your phone is compromised, it could be slower than usual and the battery could even discharge quicker. Other types of malware can hijack your phone's settings without your approval. What's even more concerning is that some Android malware can be used by hackers to steal your passwords and private information.
The good news is that your Samsung Galaxy smartphone is designed to automatically detect any malware. However, if you want to run a manual diagnostic, you can go to "Device protection" under "Battery and Device Care" to scan for any threats. Alternatively, you can access "Google Settings" and select "Verify apps" under "Security" to check your Samsung Galaxy for any signs of virus infection. But if your Samsung device runs on Android 6 or below, you can scan for malware using the Smart Manager app.
How to remove a virus on your Samsung Galaxy
If you've detected any malware on your Samsung Galaxy, your best course of action would be to remove it. As a precaution, you could also follow the procedure to remove malware even if your diagnostics app doesn't detect a threat but you've noticed suspicious activity on your Android phone. One of the most effective ways to remove malware is to restart it in safe mode. To do that, you need to press the volume down button while you're restarting the phone and then "Safe Mode" should appear. Once you've activated "Safe Mode," you can delete any third-party apps that could be malicious.
In addition to that, you can clear the cache and data on your Google Chrome and Samsung Internet Browser to remove suspected malware that you could have missed. However, if you don't want to take any chances, you can restore your phone to factory settings after backing up your crucial data. It would also be a good idea to make sure your Samsung Galaxy has the latest antivirus apps to quarantine high-risk files.