Despite being the world’s leading (by far) mobile platform, Android has had enough of its share of security issues. Every once in a while, an individual or corporate security research makes headlines after finding a gaping hole in Android’s security system. Things haven’t been any different in recent times. In case you haven’t heard, a malicious app has hijacked over 10 million Android smartphones worldwide. That is just creepy.Security Specialist Check Point has called the software HummingBad and says that it can take root in an Android device, gathering personal data and make it look like you clicked on ads that you never did. Sounds pretty scary, right? Fortunately, Android users can take various steps to find out if HummingBad has intruded their privacy and exposed their personal information to the highest bidder. It’s also possible to get this crooked software off your device. Additionally, you can take steps to safeguard yourself from this danger in future.

Does my Android phone has HummingBad?

As much as hackers aren’t taking a break, mobile security companies are working tirelessly to detect the bad actors, expose and contain them. When it comes to finding out whether you’ve got HummingBad roasting your device, there’s a range of possible options. To start with, Check Point’s Zone Alarm is a good way to go. There are also equally good security apps created by the likes of Avast, AVG, and Lookout.

How do I kill HummingBad malware?

More than 10 million android phones have been floored by HummingBad. Of all these, over 288k are in the US. If you happen to be affected, you can certainly kill HummingBad. However, you might not be that comfortable with the needed approach – factory reset. So backup your photos, files, contacts and everything else of value on your smartphone, then reset your device.The only other way works if you’re a security specialist with expert skills, in which case you might just do by painstakingly removing it.

How to deep your device safe in the future

Any software that breaks into your phone and makes it look like you did things you actually didn’t, and worse still steals your private data should be taken seriously. It’s worth it taking measures to make sure that your device stays safe in the future. When it comes to security your android phone, it’s the simple rules that matter. For instance, what happened to ‘don’t download applications from untrusted stores’? The majority of security issues affecting android users emanate from them getting their apps from little-known untrusted app stores. Hackers are always getting cleverer, and will always come up with ingenious ways to hack into your smartphone, but this is a good start.Image Source: Digital Trends

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What's my model number?

There are several ways to locate your model number:

Option 1
On your device, go to Settings, then "About device" and scroll down to "Model number"
Option 2
Often times you can view the model number inside the device, by removing the battery
Option 3
Using Samsung's model/serial number location tool

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