Phone battery draining fast? Malware is one of 8 possible factors - how to tell for sure

This ZDNET article explains seven common causes of smartphone battery degradation (aging lithium-ion cells, apps and permissions, settings, OS/app updates, environmental factors, hardware damage, and charging habits) and provides step-by-step consumer guidance to diagnose and remediate issues. It notes mobile malware can sometimes cause unexpected battery drain and advises checking for unfamiliar apps, running malware scans, deleting suspicious apps, changing passwords, and using factory reset as a last resort.