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.
- 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.
- 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.
NetQin's NQ Mobile Security for Windows Phone app offers anti-virus scans and
data backups as well as private and safe-browsing capabilities. NQ Mobile
Security is available from the Windows Phone Marketplace. Kaspersky Mobile
Security and Bullguard Mobile Security can be downloaded from the developers'
websites.
