CEBU, Philippines - Internet security provider Kaspersky Lab announced the availability of mobile security product for smartphones and tablets for Android and iOS applications.
In a press conference yesterday, Kaspersky Lab business development manager Bryan Sat said that there is a tremendous increase in smartphone usage and mobile internet through tablets.
The Kaspersky Mobile Security (KMS) is a dedicated security solution for Android-based smartphones and iOS.
"About 99.96 percent of all mobile malware found in 2012 was Android," he said.
On the phone, some malware steals info, others make calls and SMS, among others.
The updated KMS is said to be up to ten times faster than the previous version for antivirus scanning and provides users with core protection tools at no cost.
As more people use smartphones and tablets to access their bank accounts and purchase goods online, cybercriminals now see mobile malware as an easy way to strike unprotected devices and make fast money.
According to Sat, Kaspersky Lab specialists detected over 35,000 new malicious programs for Android devices in 2012, approximately six times more than in 2011.
That growing trend is likely to continue this year with nearly 99 percent of all mobile threats now targeting Android devices with malicious programs which are set to become more complex and dangerous.
According to a survey conducted in 2012 by O+K Research, 14 percent of users either lost or had their smartphones stolen.
This is why it is critical for a mobile security solution to not only protect against malware and other types of attacks but also be able to prevent confidential data from falling into the wrong hands.
Sat added that the smartphone and tablet malware security product, are available through online application stores "Play" for Android and Appstore for iOs, although prices are not yet in peso denominations.
Sat was in Cebu yesterday to also introduce Kaspersky's latest malware (malicious software) products to Cebu companies across industries.
Sat, together with their over 50 resellers in Cebu introduced the Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business (KESB) solution, helping companies prepare the more intelligent and smarter malware being developed today. /JMD (FREEMAN)