Skip to main content

Proven Tools for Securing PCs Now Used to Outsmart Cybercriminal Attacks on Smartphones

Woburn, MA –June 25, 2012 – As smartphones become increasingly similar to PCs than traditional phones, cybercriminals have begun adapting their tried-and-true attack methods to target smartphones, specifically smartphones on the Android platform. To keep users ahead of these sophisticated thieves, Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, today announced a new version of Kaspersky Mobile Security to provide premium protection for Android smartphones.

The capabilities of smartphones have gone far beyond telephone calls and text messaging. According to a study conducted in March 2012, by Harris Interactive,

  • 16% of smartphone users store personal documents on their mobile devices
  • 47% access social networks via mobile devices
  • 53% of smartphone owners worldwide regularly use their mobile devices for Internet access.

If these pocket-sized computers are performing the same online activities as full-sized PCs, shouldn’t the smartphones get full-sized protection as well? 

Android devices are by far the top target for cybercriminals and malware.  By the end of 2011, there were 200-times more unique pieces of Android malware than the year before, and this rate continues to climb in 2012. What does malware do once it infects your phone? Some of the biggest threats to Android smartphones in the past year included:

  • A self-spreading worm that automatically sent itself to all the contacts stored on the device, and blocked users from answering incoming text-messages.
  • A Trojan Horse that pretended to be a legitimate program, but once installed by the user, sent hidden text messages to premium-rate numbers, causing user phone-bills to skyrocket.
  • A program that recorded all phone conversations, and sent the recordings back to its creator.
  • A malicious program that looked so real, it was allowed into the official Android Market.  Once installed by unknowing users, the program took full control of the smartphone and began downloading more malicious code from the Internet.

For more details on these attacks, click to see Kaspersky Lab’s Android Malware infographic.

Beat New Threats with Smarter Technology
Fortunately, Kaspersky Mobile Security now includes more of the advanced features found in Kaspersky Lab’s award-winning PC security products.  This new version of Kaspersky Mobile Security now includes an automatic connection to Kaspersky Lab’s cloud database of new threats.  That means whenever a new piece of malware is discovered anywhere in the world, Kaspersky Lab customers will be protected from the threat in minutes.  When browsing the web, Kaspersky Mobile Security also keeps you safe from malicious websites and phishing attacks that trick users into sharing their personal information. In using smartphones to carry out daily tasks, such as shopping and banking, it’s important to know your credit card information and banking credentials will remain safe from cybercriminals. This feature makes shopping, online banking and even social networking from your mobile phone that much safer.

Kaspersky Mobile Security works in the background to scan every file, application, email attachment and media file to ensure they are safe to open.  With new proactive behavioral analysis technologies, Kaspersky Mobile Security stops malware more efficiently than ever before by recognizing emerging and unknown threats and subsequently blocking them. But don’t take it from us – read the results of AV-Test’s detailed tests of more than 40 mobile security products.  Kaspersky Lab’s smartphone security posted a top score, compared to some “free” security products that didn’t block a single threat and provided no real security from the rising tide of Android malware.

Improved Anti-Theft Features
Kaspersky Mobile Security also includes improvements to keep your data safe from physical thieves as well.  Users can remotely lock a missing smartphone to prevent unwanted access, or track the location of the device using GPS and WiFi signals displayed on a Google Map link.  Users can also remotely wipe all personal contacts, text messages, or even completely reset the phone to its factory settings without a trace of personal data remaining.

Managing Your Incoming Calls and Texts
A convenient feature included in Kaspersky Mobile Security is the ability to filter incoming calls and text messages. Users can easily add numbers to a “white” or “black” list ensuring the avoidance or approval of unwanted incoming calls and text messages. This feature also blocks calls and texts from hidden and non-numeric numbers shielding users from unsolicited spam calls and texts.

The Privacy Protection mode allows users to take their mobile privacy to the next level. Easily conceal your private mobile communication from prying eyes by hiding contacts, incoming/outgoing calls and texts and communication logs. While in this mode, communication from selected contacts will be hidden. For instance, the selected contacts will not appear on the phone’s contact list and no notifications will be heard or seen if the contact calls or texts. Once a code is entered to disable the privacy protection mode, users will be able to view all missed calls and texts from their selected private contacts. This mode acts as an additional level for personal privacy or to simply remain uninterrupted during busy days.

Pricing and availability
The new Kaspersky Mobile Security can be purchased for $19.95 from Kaspersky Lab’s website. Kaspersky Lab customers using previous versions of Kaspersky Mobile Security can install the update free of charge.  Kaspersky Mobile Security is also available for purchase on Google Play.

Quote
Steve Orenberg, President
Kaspersky Lab North America

“With Android threats increasing exponentially by the day, it has become even more crucial to maintain your privacy and secure the information stored on your smartphone. With much of our lives spent on or with our phones, mundane tasks such as browsing the internet can compromise the security of your data if an infected link is accessed. Kaspersky Mobile Security ensures not only the physical safety of your device, but also the integrity of your personal information and data
.”

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 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for consumers, SMBs and Enterprises. The company 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, 2010. The rating was published in the IDC report Worldwide IT Security Products 2011-2015 Forecast and 2010 Vendor Shares – December 2011. The report ranked software vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2010.

For the latest in-depth information on security threat issues and trends, please visit http://www.securelist.com/. Follow @Securelist on Twitter.  For the most up-to-date world security news, visit http://www.threatpost.com/.

New Kaspersky Mobile Security Adds Protection Against Android Malware Onslaught

New Kaspersky Mobile Security Adds Protection Against Android Malware Onslaught
Kaspersky Logo