Smartphones are computers, powerful enough to do everything from editing complex documents to recording high-quality video. This comes with cybersecurity threats, so you might wonder if you need antivirus protection for your phone.

As our phones have changed, cybercriminals have, too. They’re smarter than ever and have more tactics to trick you into downloading, clicking or opening the wrong thing. Once you do, you’re deep in the malware mess.

Does your phone have enough built-in defenses to protect you, or do you need the help of an antivirus suite?

Signs your device is infected

Just like your computer or tablet, your smartphone can be infected with a virus. The signs vary depending on what your device is infected with. Here are some red flags to watch for:

• You see a spike in data usage.
• Pop-ups appear out of nowhere, in one app or across all of them.
• Your battery is draining faster than usual.
• Your phone becomes hot or overheats.
• You notice odd charges on your phone bill that you don’t remember signing up for.

How does malware or other dangerous threats get on your phone in the first place? There are a few ways.

• You click on a malicious link. These arrive via phishing emails, texts, messaging apps or spoofed websites. It’s best to never click on links or attachments you receive in unsolicited messages. They could be malicious, infect your device with malware and/or steal sensitive information.
• You download a bad app. Scammers are good at creating fraudulent apps that look like the real thing. While these can end up in the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store, they are most often distributed through third-party app sites. Only download apps from official app stores.
• You connect to public Wi-Fi without protection. This is a recipe for disaster. Cybercriminals use public Wi-Fi to spy on unsuspecting users. They could steal your bank password, credit card details or Social Security number and infect your device with malware.

So, do you need antivirus software?

The answer is clear: Yes! While your phone does have some safeguards to protect you, the more help you can get, the better. Today, most major antivirus options include phone protection, too, so there’s no reason not to take advantage.

Listeners often ask Kim for her antivirus recommendation. After looking over the top industry options, she stands by TotalAV. Here are a few reasons it’s the best option:

• It works on all your devices: All your gadgets need equal protection. TotalAV has you covered, whether you use a PC, Mac, iPhone or Android. Its all-in-one security software works across all platforms.
• It makes your tech run more efficiently: TotalAV can improve the performance of your smartphone, computer or tablet. It removes junk files, clearing up extra space and can reduce background processes to improve battery life.
• It busts shady websites ahead of time: When surfing the web, untrustworthy sites put your device at risk. A single wrong click could infect it with malware. TotalAV stops you before you swim into these shark-infested waters.
• It gives you firewall protection: This is essential for protecting your device, or hackers could enter your system through an exposed networking port.

Good news: You can get this five-star protection for a steep discount. Our sponsor, TotalAV, has an exclusive deal just for you. Buy now, and get real-time antivirus protection for all your gadgets for $100 off. An entire year of protection is just $19. You really can’t beat that.

Use TotalAV for the best antivirus protection

TotalAV offers complete protection for PC, Mac, iPhone or Android and scans for the latest threats. Cybercriminals move fast, and no one person can keep up with every threat independently. Let the pros do the work for you.

TotalAV boosts performance, opens up memory and filters dangerous websites. Take advantage of data breach checks, password exposure notifications, secure browsing, easier photo management, battery monitoring and much more.

Ready to protect all your devices? Go to ProtectWithKim.com now to save 85% on total protection you can trust. What are you waiting for?