Kaspersky Lab Launches Kaspersky Internet Security for Android – Critical Protection for Smartphones and Tablets

Leading Internet Security Company Combines Two Proven Security Solutions into One Powerful Package

Woburn, MA - September 18, 2013 – Kaspersky Lab today announces the release of Kaspersky Internet Security for Android, a powerful protection solution for smartphones and tablets running Android, the world’s most popular mobile operating system. As more consumers access the same Internet on their mobile devices as they do on a PC, the need for quality protection from cyberthreats drastically increases.

According to Pew Internet, as of May 2013, 56 percent of American adults have a smartphone and 34 percent of American adults own a tablet computer. With more people using Internet-enabled mobile devices – often times in addition to, or in place of traditional PCs or laptops – more cybercriminals are taking an interest in them. According to Kaspersky Lab research, 35,000 different malicious programs for Android emerged in 2012, which was six times larger than what was detected in 2011. Android malware also represents 99 percent of the total number of mobile threats. With cybercriminals using various types of malware to steal personal data from smartphone and tablet users, to automatically send text messages to premium-rate numbers, and to spread spam through the devices, customers need a powerful protection solution to effectively combat these threats.

A secure mobile experience
Kaspersky Internet Security for Android safeguards smartphones and tablets from all types of malware. Using the latest antivirus technologies, it delivers real-time updates via the cloud-based Kaspersky Security Network for fast reaction to new and emerging threats. In addition, Kaspersky Internet Security for Android provides protection for Web browsing by detecting and blocking malicious websites, including phishing sites and fraudulent pages that distribute malicious programs. When targeting smartphones, cybercriminals often spread links to malicious or phishing sites via text messages, so Kaspersky Internet Security for Android uses a patented solution that validates the links in text messages before they are opened.

Anti-theft functionality
In addition to the highest level of protection against Internet threats, Kaspersky Lab’s new mobile security solution also helps manage an unfortunate reality of owning a smartphone or tablet - loss or theft of the device. There is a clear link between the security of the data stored on a mobile device and the physical safety of that device. It is all too easy for smartphones and tablets to be lost or stolen, and for the website passwords, photos, address books stored on the device to fall into the wrong hands.

Kaspersky Internet Security for Android includes a number of features that help minimize the risk of valuable, personal information being lost along with the device itself. In particular, with the help of Kaspersky Anti-Theft Web Management, users can remotely block lost or stolen devices, detect the current location of the devices with GPS and remotely delete all personal information stored on them. If the stolen or lost device is just out of sight nearby, the Alarm function activates a signal that indicates the location of the device. However, if the device has been stolen, the Mugshot feature can secretly activate the front-facing camera on the phone to take a photo of a thief, further helping to identify the unauthorized user or the phone’s surroundings. Even if the thief replaces the smartphone’s SIM card, the SIM Watch feature allows you to still block, wipe and locate the phone.

Quote:
Peter Beardmore, Senior Director of Product Marketing
Kaspersky Lab
“We always have our customers in mind when developing our security solutions, focusing on ease-of-use and providing the best security protection possible. With Kaspersky Internet Security for Android, customers now have one solution for both smartphones and tablets, with technologies that are optimized for each device. And with mobile devices increasingly becoming targets of cybercriminals, we’ve increased the number of features available in our free version, to keep all our users protected in the best way possible.”

Pricing and Availability
Kaspersky Internet Security for Android is available in two versions - free and premium. The free version contains basic antivirus functionality (user-activated scanning) and all remote device management facilities. Using the integrated in-app purchase system, users can upgrade to Premium level which, in addition to the free functionality, provides advanced antivirus mechanisms, including automatic scans of every app as it is being downloaded, real-time protection from emerging threats and Web protection to combat phishing attacks. The premium version also includes features to manage personal information - including the option of hiding contacts, calls, messages and their history from prying eyes.

A one year license of Kaspersky Internet Security for Android can be purchased for $19.95 for two devices and downloaded from the Kaspersky Lab website or from Google Play.

About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world’s largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users*. Throughout its more than 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. Kaspersky Lab, with its holding company registered in the United Kingdom, currently operates in almost 200 countries and territories across the globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

* The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by Vendor, 2011. The rating was published in the IDC report "Worldwide Endpoint Security 2012–2016 Forecast and 2011 Vendor Shares (IDC #235930, July 2012). The report ranked software vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2011.

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Media Contact
Sarah Bergeron 
781.503.2615
sarah.bergeron@kaspersky.com