As an Android smartphone (or tablet) user, one of the greatest fears is losing a device. Not just because of the value of the phone but more of the important data that you can leave exposed once a person gains access to it. Imagine giving that person a window to access your mail, calendar, Facebook, and other accounts registered on the device before you can change your passwords. Scary thought?
Jesmong Chang, Corporate Communications Manager for Kaspersky Lab South East Asia, talks about the growing threats smartphone users face everyday from cybercriminals.
Kaspersky, a brand known for their anti-virus software, just released the Kaspersky Mobile Security 9.0 and Kaspersky Tablet Security, which are two powerful protection solutions for smartphones and tablets running on Android.
Not only do these Android apps protect you from malwares and cybercriminals through your device, it also has some pretty useful anti-theft functionalities. Should you lose your phone, you can access the Kaspersky Anti-Theft Web Management through your browser and:
- Remotely lock your device to secure personal information. This lock is in addition to your passcode lock if you’re using it.
- Remotely wipe your phone if you think retrieval is hopeless.
- Locate your device using GPS, GSM, or WiFi along with Google Maps. Of course it cannot give you pinpoint accuracy but you get the idea.
- Review logs of recent activities done with the device, any commands sent to the phone, or installation of a new SIM card.
- Take a Mugshot of the user. You can also remotely enable the front cam of your device (if it has one) to take photos without the user knowing and upload them to the cloud or e-mailed to you when an internet connection is detected.
The good thing about Kaspersky Mobile Security is that even with the free version, you can get these features. You can pay for a premium version via in-app purchase to get advanced anti-virus 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 like hiding contacts, calls, messages and history from others.
Kaspersky Mobile Security and Kaspersky Tablet Security each will retail for Php560 in major IT stores nationwide. Of course you can still purchase it for less (or opt for the Lite version) in Google Play but you’ll lose out on local support should the need arise.
Unfortunately for iPhone users, this app is for Android OS only. Blame it on Apple’s closed mobile OS.
