Security & Privacy FAQs

Security & Privacy is a security app for your mobile device that helps protect it from malicious apps, spyware and other potential threats to your privacy. It's powered by McAfee.

There are 2 versions of this app:

• Security & Privacy Single Device - Covers only your individual Verizon mobile device. The app is already installed on Android™ Verizon devices, and it’s included with your Verizon Wireless service for no additional charge.


• Security & Privacy Multi-Device - Extends this security service to other eligible devices in your household and on your Verizon Wireless account, including computers and mobile devices on other carriers. It’s available for $6.99/month.

Security & Privacy helps you:

• Keep your identity and devices secure against the latest viruses, malware, and online threats
• Ensure apps aren't more intrusive than expected through Data Exposure Reputation
• Check for URL, developer reputation and risky app sources, using App Trust Reputation
• Remove risky apps with one-tap uninstall
• Get warned when apps have access to your personal and private information, and easily quarantine bad apps
• Block suspicious or malicious websites, like phishing sites
• Be warned when connecting to an unsecure Wi-Fi connection or hotspot

Security & Privacy currently supports:

• Phones and tablets running:
  
  • Android 4.1 or later
• Computers running:
  
  • Windows® 7, 8 or 10
  • Mac® OS 10.10 or later

We're also working to expand this service to more devices.

Anyone with an eligible device can use Security & Privacy Single Device.

If you're on a standard monthly account*, you're eligible to upgrade to Security & Privacy Multi-Device.

Note: You must be the Account Owner or Account Manager on your Verizon account to upgrade to Multi-Device.

*Prepaid and business accounts aren't eligible for Security & Privacy Multi-Device at this time.

Security & Privacy Single Device is already installed on Android Verizon devices.

If you want to make sure you have it, search for "Security & Privacy" in the app store on your device. When you select the Security & Privacy app in the search results, you’ll either have the option to open the app (if you already have it) or install it (if you don’t already have it).

Note: If you don't see "Security & Privacy" in the search results, your device may not be compatible at this time.

To purchase Security & Privacy Multi-Device, you must be the Account Owner or Account Manager on your Verizon account:

1. Go to the Products & Apps page in My Verizon.
2. Click the Manage Your Products tab.
3. Scroll down to the Security and Privacy section, and click Manage Security & Privacy.
4. Click Get Multi-Device.
5. Click Continue.
6. Click Close.

You've successfully enrolled in Security & Privacy Multi-Device.

You'll receive an email with instructions for how to download the Security & Privacy software on all your household devices.

Note: You can also enroll by opening the Security & Privacy app on the Account Owner's smartphone. Tap the Multi-Device banner at the top of screen or the Protect More Devices drawer at the bottom and follow the onscreen prompts to complete your enrollment.

There's no limit. You can add the Security & Privacy software to all of your eligible household devices.

It will appear as a separate line item under the Account Charges and Credits section of your bill.

To unsubscribe to Security & Privacy Multi-Device:

1. Go to the Products & Apps page in My Verizon.
2. Click the Manage Your Products tab.
3. Scroll to the Security & Privacy section, and click Remove from account.
4. Click Yes.
5. Click Close.

You've successfully unsubscribed from Security & Privacy Multi-Device.

You can read the Security & Privacy Terms & Conditions online.

Viruses are software programs that disrupt the normal operation of your phone. They spread through email attachments, shared files or malicious websites. Some viruses are designed to intercept personal data, like passwords and credit card numbers. Others are designed to track how you use your phone.

Security & Privacy scans your phone and minimizes your risk of downloading malicious and infected apps.

Security & Privacy helps protect your phone from mobile malware and other digital threats including:

• Viruses
• Worms
• Spyware
• Key loggers
• Bots
• Other potentially unwanted programs

Security & Privacy also blocks access to suspicious sites when using your phone's default web browser.

Security & Privacy automatically scans your Android phone in real-time. When you receive a message, access a file or install an app, it's scanned instantly. Security & Privacy also scans your phone regularly: daily or weekly.

If you suspect your phone is infected, you can run a manual scan at any time.

It scans the file system on your phone. This includes messages, pictures, installed apps and compressed files.

Yes, as soon as they arrive on your phone, Security & Privacy scans:

• Email messages
• Text messages
• Multimedia messages
• Attachments

Yes, Security & Privacy scans content on your SD memory card upon installation. You can configure Security & Privacy to scan each SD memory card inserted in your phone.

No, Security & Privacy minimizes your risk of downloading malicious and infected apps, helps protect you from suspicious websites, and warns you if you're on a risky or compromised Wi-Fi network. However, it doesn't block hacking attempts made through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® or Infrared interfaces.

If Security & Privacy detects a virus, you'll see a full-screen warning on your phone. Then, you can choose what to do:

• Delete or uninstall the infected file or app
• Ignore the virus warning

You can run a manual scan to see the warning again. If you ignore a virus warning, Security & Privacy automatically reminds you to deal with the threat the next time you restart or when a scheduled system scan is performed.

Yes, Security & Privacy updates the virus signature files on your device automatically and frequently to ensure it's checking for the latest known threats. It also uses virus signature files stored in McAfee Cloud to check for new threats detected after your last app update.

You can set the Security & Privacy app to update at intervals that are convenient for you from within the app's Settings.

Yes, Security & Privacy provides anti-virus protection. It'll alert you of malware and potentially unwanted programs, some of which may be adware. Additionally, Security & Privacy will provide you with information about apps on your phone that access your personal data for advertising purposes.

For example, Security & Privacy will let you know if a free game or utility app has access to your contacts, call logs, account data, location and any other personal information that can be used to deliver targeted advertisements. Security & Privacy will inform you about the personal information accessible by each app, so you can make a decision to keep or uninstall the app.

Web security is designed to protect you from scams and malicious activity on websites you visit while searching the internet on your mobile device.

While using the smartphone's default web browser, a warning message will appear on your screen if Security & Privacy detects a suspicious website. When this occurs, you can choose to go back or proceed to the website.

When you browse the internet using your smartphone's browser, Security & Privacy automatically blocks malicious websites using McAfee technology. WebAdvisor® gives you real-time protection against mobile phishing and browser exploits. Also, Security & Privacy provides website safety ratings for each website you visit.

McAfee WebAdvisor for Android checks against the Trusted Source database, which is part of McAfee's Global Threat Intelligence Network. You're warned when visiting a website that contains suspicious links or malicious content that can harm your device or expose your private data.

The McAfee antivirus technology, included within Security & Privacy, detects thousands of new threats each day. McAfee Cloud is constantly reviewing and updating new and existing website ratings. The app updates its website ratings database every hour and includes daily protection updates for known browser threats.

If you try to connect to an unsecure network, you’ll be asked to select whether you want to stay connected (add the network to the Allowed Networks list) or remain disconnected (add the network to the Blocked Networks list).

Your saved networks will appear as either a blocked network or allowed network under Manage Wi-Fi networks of the Wi-Fi Security settings. You can also edit them as needed.

Get step-by-step instructions in the Manage Wi-Fi networks section of our How to Use Security & Privacy page.

You can turn off the Web Security feature from the Settings (gear icon) menu in the Security & Privacy app.

Refer to our How to Use Security & Privacy guide for step-by-step instructions.

Note: Use caution when turning off McAfee WebAdvisor, because you'll no longer be warned of risky websites.

App Privacy is a component of Security & Privacy that helps you safeguard your private information. App Privacy tells you which apps on your device have access to personal information, like your contacts and location. You can then choose to either trust or remove any such app from your mobile device.

App Privacy will help secure and preserve your privacy. The apps on your device are individually analyzed and rated, showing you if they access, store or transmit your personal information.

When you launch App Privacy with Security & Privacy, it will scan your downloaded apps and report:

• Access to personal information such as contacts, message content, calendar and photos
• Use of your microphone, camera or location mechanism
• Interception of events like calls, messages and key presses
• Ability to transmit information to or from your device and the type of data connection it may use

App Privacy scans apps to identify the device permissions and developer reputation. It also compares the app permissions requested against other apps in the app category.

App Privacy automatically trusts apps that:

• Don't access your personal information
• Are part of the Android operating system

If you update a trusted app and it has access to your personal information, App Privacy will ask you to review it.

If you find out that an app can access more personal information or functions than you originally thought, App Privacy will help you quickly remove it from your mobile device.

Note: Preloaded apps and system apps can't be removed through App Privacy.

Your device may not be supported by Security & Privacy. You can check the device eligibility and plan eligibility requirements, or you can occasionally check the app store on your device for updates.

Note: Devices that run an unauthorized version of the operating system aren't supported.

The frequency of scans and updates will decrease battery life and increase data usage. According to our battery life testing and analysis, when you aren't actively using the device (i.e., in idle mode) or not using the app (i.e., in app background mode), the impact of the app on a full battery charge is estimated to be less than 15 minutes.

To minimize this impact, you can reduce the frequency of scheduled scans.

Note: This won't change the real-time scans of messages and apps as they arrive on your phone.

Your home Wi-Fi network may be saved in the blocked networks list, which sets it to always disconnect.

You can remove your Wi-Fi network from the blocked networks list and add it to the allowed list in the Manage Wi-Fi networks setting in the Security & Privacy app.

Get step-by-step instructions in the Manage Wi-Fi networks section of our How to Use Security & Privacy page.