Today, McAfee released a new version of McAfee Mobile Security to provide enhanced privacy for smartphone and tablet users. Built with additional features to ensure that apps are not accessing users'
personal information without their knowledge, McAfee Mobile Security is designed to preserve their privacy and protect against financial fraud, identity theft, and viruses. One key feature of this solution is App Alert technology, part of McAfee’s Global Threat Intelligence Network, which reports app permissions, checks against a URL reputation database, and reports the apps that are associated with and/or may be sending personal data to risky sites (including adware and spyware networks).
The use of mobile apps is growing in parallel with the increased use in mobile devices. Earlier this year, Google estimated 20 billion apps had been downloaded on the Android platform and according to a recent report by comScore on mobile social media usage, 33 per cent of apps ask for more permissions than they need. The Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences University of California at Berkeley report on Android Permissions found that 97 per cent of users don’t understand how permissions correspond to the risks of an app. In addition, McAfee Labs has discovered approximately five per cent of apps in its database are associated with risky URLs.
This summer alone, McAfee has seen an increase in threats targeting Android devices. The Android operating system continues to be the most popular target for writers of mobile malware - including SMS-sending malware, mobile botnets, spyware, and destructive Trojans. To stay safe, users should research apps and their publishers thoroughly and check the ratings before installing. They should also purchase from a well-known reputable app store market, watch for permissions (stay away from installing apps that don’t look right) and install antivirus software on their phone.
McAfee Mobile Security software is available from Google Play and McAfee for $29.99 CDN. The software is also available via McAfee All Access, a suite of products that helps consumers to connect, surf, and socialize online, knowing their computer, laptop, netbook, smartphone and tablet is safe.
For more information on McAfee’s consumer to enterprise mobile security offerings, please visit
www.mcafee.com/mobilesecurity.