14 DAY TRIAL // F-Secure has launched a new version of its Mobile Security solution, which adds support for the increasingly popular Android platform. In addition to anti-malware protection the program comes with data protection and anti-theft features.
Smartphones are used for everything from writing emails to doing online banking and as the market for such devices continues to register substantial growth across the world, there is an increasing need for security solutions to protect the users' sensitive data.
“Today’s smartphones are designed for surfing the web and financial transactions like online banking and shopping. In our recent survey we found that over a third of users surf the web with their smartphones and just over 10% use them for online banking. F-Secure’s advanced technology gives peace of mind for smartphone users so they can enjoy their devices to the full without worrying that sensitive information may fall in the wrong hands,” Patrik Sallner, vice president of F-Secure’s Mobile Business Unit, said.
But, while some well established mobile operating systems like Symbian or iPhone OS have already been targeted by specialized worms or trojans, newer platforms like Android have yet to be targeted by serious threats. Because of this there is a feeling that releasing an antivirus solution for such operating systems is just a marketing move.
However, F-Secure Mobile Security 6 is more than an antivirus. It is a complete security suite, which also incorporates anti-theft and data protection components. The application can automatically identify and block malicious websites and allows users to remotely erase their data if the phone gets stolen or lost. It can also report the device's GPS location back to its owner and send them text messages with the phone number of any new SIM inserted into it.
In a recent interview with Softpedia, Richard Marko, chief technology officer at antivirus vendor ESET, revealed some of the more subtle reasons for building a security solution for Android at such an early stage. „At the beginning it is usually a marketing tool. At the same time it is an important opportunity to gain experience with new platforms, form development teams etc. Simply to get ready for the future when such knowledge might become crucial,” he explained.
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