How to Protect Your Smartphone From Viruses
All smartphone owners should be aware of and concerned about viruses
that affect smartphones, but most aren't. Only 4 percent of mobile
phones use virus protection software, according to Juniper Network
Global Threat Center's Malicious Mobile Threats Report 2010/2011.
Personal and identity information such as financial passwords and
contact lists -- once stored on protected personal computers -- now
appear on unprotected smartphones. Phones infected with malware, Trojan
horses and other viruses leave your phone unusable, send the virus to
your contacts or worse: Perpetrators steal usernames and passwords that
can lead to identity theft. Protecting your phone is a twofold process;
avoid potential viruses and download legitimate virus protection on your
phone.
Instructions
End-User Tips
1. Open attachments on your phone with
the same caution as you do on your computer. This includes attachments in
emails and in MMS messages. Don't open attachments from people you don't know.
Also, don't open attachments from a contact if the message looks suspicious.
Your contact's phone or computer may be infected with a virus that is emailing
or messaging itself to everyone on his contact list, including you.
2. Watch for suspicious links sent
through email or text messages. Never click on questionable links. Like
attachments, these may be sent by people you don't know who are posing as
individuals on your contact list. If you are suspicious about a link sent to
you by a contact, email or text message the sender to ask if he sent the
message. He may not know his phone or computer is infected by a virus that is
sending messages to his contacts.
3.Download apps only from legitimate app
stores, and read the reviews before buying to make sure there is no buzz about
a virus attached with the app. The Malicious Mobile Threats Report finds that
as the demand for apps increases, so does the proliferation of viruses,
particularly spyware. Viruses can transfer through any type of application,
including gaming apps, fake anti-virus apps, fake financial-tracking apps and
social networking apps.
4. Practice safe memory card use. Never
share your memory card with another cell phone. An infected memory card can
spread a virus to each phone it contacts.
5.Set the Bluetooth option on your phone to
the undiscoverable setting. Some viruses penetrate phones through a Bluetooth
connection. This attack is especially tricky; you need only walk by an infected
Bluetooth device while your phone is discoverable, and the virus can transfer
to your phone. The first documented Bluetooth virus, the Cabir virus, which
arrived in 2004, didn't harm your phone or steal valuable information, but it
ran the phone battery down quickly by constantly trying to discover nearby
Bluetooth connections through which to spread. Current Bluetooth viruses are
more malicious; they steal contact information and disable phones.
Third-Party
Apps
6.Protect your iPhone from malware and
other virus infections with anti-virus apps. Choose from a handful of
well-known and trusted anti-virus software providers, as some viruses present
themselves as inexpensive or free virus software from unknown companies.
SmrtGuard Solutions' Snap Secure app and the Lookout Mobile Security app from
Lookout Inc. both protect your iPhone from viruses while backing up your
important data and allowing you to track or wipe your iPhone if it's lost or
stolen. McAfee Enterprise Mobility Management from Trust Digital is designed
for business environments with multiple mobile devices, including iPhones. Snap
Secure, Lookout Mobile Security and EMM are all free downloads at the iPhone
App Store. Intego created the Virus Barrier iOS software specifically for the
iPhone and iPad to scan for and block any viruses from transferring to your
computer when you connect the mobile device to it. Virus Barrier can be
downloaded from the App Store for a small fee.
7.If you own an Android-powered phone,
download anti-virus from reliable suppliers to protect your personal
information. The Kaspersky Mobile Security app offers find-and-wipe services as
well as virus and spam protection. In addition to standard virus scans, Norton
Mobile Security can lock your phone to protect personal data during a virus
attack or if the phone is lost or stolen.
The Bullguard Mobile Security app
protects against viruses, identity theft and online fraud, and it offers
parental controls, a basic backup and SIM card protection. All these apps are
available for download from the Android Market.
8.Add anti-virus protection for your BlackBerry
with Bullguard Mobile Security, which offers a user-friendly online interface
that allows you to manage your virus protection and back up information from
your phone or your computer. Also useful is SmrtGuard's Snap Secure app for
handy information in addition to virus protection; the app warns how new apps
may affect your privacy settings and leave your device vulnerable to virus
attack.
The app also provides BlackBerry users with Personal Guardian service,
with which you create a panic button that sends out a text message or phone
call with your location. The NetQin Mobile Security for BlackBerry app provides
two levels of protection: one local for your phone and one cloud based. It
offers real-time virus scanning and a backup of all your data. Download Snap
Secure from the BlackBerry App World. Bullguard Mobile Security and NetQin
Mobile Security are available for download at the developers' websites.
The Bullguard Mobile Security app protects against viruses, identity theft and online fraud, and it offers parental controls, a basic backup and SIM card protection. All these apps are available for download from the Android Market.
9.Even if your Windows computer is
protected with anti-virus software, you still need a separate mobile app for
your phone. Find Windows Mobile virus protection with the Kaspersky Mobile
Security app, which offers a full range of protection not available in its
BlackBerry and Android apps. These additional features include data encryption
and parental controls. In addition to virus protection, the Bullguard Mobile
Security app offers a spam filter and firewall protection with its Windows
Mobile apps, which are not offered with its Android and BlackBerry versions.
Tips
& Warnings
The Juniper Network Global Threat Center's
Malicious Mobile Threats Report predicts the market for mobile device virus
protection software will grow exponentially over the next few years as
"the vulnerability of data-centric mobile devices becomes more widely
appreciated both in the business and consumer sectors” said Nitin Bhas, one of
the report authors. Awareness of the danger is the first step. The second is to
protect your phone and the personal information it contains with smart downloading
and anti-virus protection.
Choose anti-virus software that offers
additional safety features when possible. Many offer the ability to track your
phone when it's turned on, and some enable you to wipe the phone's memory
remotely. Although these features are particularly helpful when your phone is
stolen or lost, a remote wipe protects your personal information if you're away
from your phone when you discover your close contacts have infected phones, and
you suspect yours may be infected. Some programs, such as Lookout, Bullguard
Mobile Security and Snap Secure, also offer online backups to protect your data
in case of loss during a virus attack.
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