14 DAY TRIAL // When it comes to the security and protection of their mobile devices, Android users should be most concerned, given the fact that their platform is the most targeted one by cybercriminals, and that the number of malware found on the OS has been growing significantly in the past months.
There are a number of actions that users can perform in order to ensure better protection of their smartphones and tablets, including making sure that they do not install apps that come from unverified sources, but the most secure one is to load an antivirus application on their devices.
The ESET Mobile Security, which has just been released as version 3.0, is one of the applications that could prove more than useful when it comes to increasing the security of a device in all kind of situations.
The software is available for free, but with limited functionality. Those who want to enjoy basic protection on their smartphones and tablets can simply download and install it, without upgrading to a premium version.
This would include anti-virus protection, the possibility to perform manual scans, password protection for the device, and some Anti-Theft capabilities. However, those who will purchase a premium license will have a great deal of additional capabilities to enjoy in the app.
ESET has already proved a leader in proactive digital protection worldwide, and has over 10 years of consecutive VB100 awards for the ESET NOD32 technology, thus being capable of providing users with the security they indeed need on their mobiles.
ESET Mobile Security has been available on Android for quite some time now, but the brand new version 3.0 of the application arrives with a nice range of new features and capabilities, meant to make Android devices even more secure than before.
Setting it up is pretty straightforward, and can be done straight from the smartphone or tablet PC in a few easy steps. You will need to set a trusted SIM card within the application, choose a trusted friendly number for emergency cases, and you’re good to go.
The feature now comes with my.eset.com integration, which means that users will be able track their devices through an easy-to-use web interface, for increased convenience. This also involves registering for an account on the website, which can be done straight from the device too.
ESET already had Anti-Theft capabilities in the previous versions, and some of those features were kept unchanged in the new release, such as the possibility to perform various actions on the device via SMS messages from a trusted number.
This would include locking or wiping the phone clean by simply sending a text message from a trusted number, as well as ringing it, so that it can be found much easier in the event that it has been lost somewhere nearby.In ESET Mobile Security 3.0, the Anti-Theft functionality is brought one step further, with a series of new features attached to it, so as to ensure that users’ data remains protected at all times.
Thus, the device will be able to receive remote commands even if an unauthorized SIM card has been included in it, and will also be able to take preventive actions on its own, in the event that a wrong PIN/pattern is introduced, or that an unauthorized SIM is detected.
As mentioned above, the new ESET Mobile Security also comes with online integration with my.eset.com, which offers its own set of new perks, making it easier to find the device or to ensure that all user data on it remains protected.Thus, as soon as a device is marked as missing on the online portal, its location is displayed on a map in real-time, so that the user can easily find it. On my.eset.com, users will also be able to view a list of IP addresses that a missing device was connected to.
Moreover, devices that have been marked as missing will automatically snap photos with its back and front cameras, and will send them to the portal, so that its location could be pinpointed easier.
Additionally, the smartphone or tablet will also send its position to the website when its battery reaches critical levels. Registering with my.eset.com will also enable users to set custom messages to be displayed on the device’s screen when it has been marked as missing.
The online portal will also allow owners of Android devices to easily lock them when they are lost or stolen, and even to wipe all data on them, so as to make sure that their files remain private.In all fairness, ESET is not the only company out there to provide web management features to Android users, but the fact that their ESET Mobile Security 3.0 can also take autonomous actions to increase the privacy and security of devices can easily make it stand up in the crowd.
However, the Anti-Theft capabilities are not the only features that are bound to make Android users want to have ESET’s latest mobile app iteration loaded on their smartphones or tablet PCs, as other great features are also available for them as part of it.
The new flavor of the software was also designed to perform automatic scans on devices during the charging process, which will reduce the battery usage.A smart scan on my Galaxy Nexus would take only a couple of minutes, which does not impact the charging time, but which is felt a bit when performed without the phone plugged in. Running deep scans would make the impact on the device even more visible.
When looking at all of the enhancements that ESET has included in the new Mobile Security 3.0, I must say that the new on-charger scan option is one of my favorites, next to the new location tracking capabilities available via the my.eset.com web portal.
The antivirus capabilities of ESET Mobile Security 3.0 are also worth mentioning, since they do represent one of the main selling points of the application, as they would on any other similar security software.
Users can choose to have their devices scanned periodically, either at specific times, when they do not use the phone or tablet, or, as mentioned above, when the mobile is plugged in for charging.There are three different levels of scanning available in the software, namely quick, smart and deep, and users can choose to perform any of them whenever they feel they need to, in addition to scheduling these operations as mentioned above.
Just as in previous iterations, ESET Mobile Security will allow users to easily access scan logs and to have a look at quarantined items, while also offering a series of advanced antivirus options, such as support for ESET Live Grid, real-time protection, and detection of potentially unwanted or harmful apps.
There are also Anti-Phishing features included in the app, so as to offer an additional level of protection when browsing the web from the smartphone or tablet, though not all browsers currently available on Android are supported.ESET Mobile Security will continue to offer SMS and Call blocking capabilities to Android users going for a premium license, just as in the previous versions.
It also offers Application Audit, so that users could learn more on what permission various apps installed on their devices have. Clicking on the name of any software listed there will get you to the phone’s settings menu, so that you can easily stop the application or even uninstall it.On top of that, ESET Mobile Security will monitor the Android device to inform users on any important settings that haven’t been set right, and which could compromise security.
I had the chance to have a close look at ESET Mobile Security 2.0 last year, and I also installed the 3.0 flavor when it landed in beta, and I must say that the improvements that ESET have included in the software over time do make it increasingly trust-worthy and appealing at the same time.
The new ESET Mobile Security 3.0 appears to get along with my old Galaxy Nexus quite nicely, sometimes even better than the previous flavor of the app did.
However, it did appear to put some string on the processor and battery, mainly due to the fact that it would continuously scan apps and downloaded content, but this might also be so because my phone needs a hardware refresh.
In the end, despite having installed it on a smartphone that is two years and a half old, ESET Mobile Security 3.0 performed great, and I would recommend it to all those interested in adding an extra level of security to their devices, even if they are not high-end.
Moreover, their mobile application is simple to use and intuitive, and thus capable of keeping devices protected without interrupting users' work. The fact that it does not need too many resources to work efficiently is another great thing about it.
Keep in mind that the application offers basic protection capabilities for free, for a life time. For extra protection, users should upgrade to a premium subscription, via in-app purchase.
For the next 7 days, however, you can win a free one-year license for ESET Mobile Security 3.0 for Android through providing us with an interesting comment, as we are kicking off a giveaway on the application.
Update, May 20: The giveaway has ended.
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