can a mobile phone text contain a "virus"?

[ree]

Can a mobile phone text contain a virus or malware etc?

I opened a very convincing text message on my mobile phone and it turned into a rambling scam about "Hetty's funeral & how i will be rewarded for all my good works with hetty"
Another of these texts arrived but i didn't open the next one.

Now what's to be done, thats if anything needs to be done?

 

[footprints]

Not sure I know, the idea is dismissed by many (they give a load of tech doublespeak to try and explain why) but logic says few people use security on phones and tablets so where do you think the scammers will be looking next for easy pickings?

There are reports that android phones can be infected with malware that will tell you the phone is off but the phone can still send messages and even turn on the camera. This threat seems to be from rogue apps downloaded by the user, not emails, but personally I think prevention is better than cure so run security on my tablet.

Check out the app store CM security (cleanmaster) gets quite good ratings and is easy to use, but don't take my word for it do a bit of Goggling and see what others have suggested.

Just make sure you choose one from the pukka Google app store, that is the safest way.

Best wishes

 

[timbook]

Don't think it's possible to get a virus from a text only message.

 

[Diyisfun]

Load AVG for mobiles its free.
Email wont contain virus, but an attachment can.

 

[JBR]

Despite 'experts' advising that antivirus apps are not necessary, I have installed Avast Free. Better safe than sorry.

 

[ree]

Something is now going on - the message facility has gone weird.

 

[timbook]

Something is now going on - the message facility has gone weird.

If you're concerned, just do a reset, or a factory reset. Back up your files first. My phone started acting up around Christmas(Christmasitis!!) hoping to make me complain and someone buys me a phone for Christmas!!

But yeah, it was acting strange, stalling, hanging etc. I did a reset and it's like new now.