McAfee released its top five tips to avoid downloading bad apps. McAfee shared
some common sense practices that anyone can take to help protect their smartphones
and tablets from the growing threat of malware and the persistent threat of
unsecured devices.
McAfee Mobile Security combines
powerful anti-malware, anti-theft and web safety features and is available for
Android smartphones and tablets as well as BlackBerry and Symbian smartphones.
Maliciously modified apps have started to become more prevalent,” said Vincent
Weafer, senior vice president, McAfee Labs. Based on McAfee detections, we’ve
seen approximately 200 malicious apps versus tens of thousands of good apps.
However, with mobile devices becoming a targeted platform for malware, it’s
becoming more common for cybercriminals to attempt to corrupt a legitimate app.
The best advice for users is to be careful, protect the mobile device and the
mobile apps that reside on the device,” Weafer added.
Recently, McAfee released the
McAfee Threats Report: Second Quarter 2011, showing that the amount of malware
targeted at Android devices jumped 76 percent since last quarter, to become the
most attacked mobile operating system.
Here are five easy steps device users can take to secure their own devices.
— To date, the amount of detected smartphone malware is relatively low
compared to malware that targets desktop or laptop PCs; but being aware that it
exists is the first step toward protecting yourself and your data.
— Research apps and their publishers thoroughly and check the ratings – better
to install apps that are broadly used in the market or are recommended by your
circle of friends and colleagues.
— Always purchase apps from a well-known reputable app store market such as
the Android Market. One way for Android users to avoid installation of
non-market applications is to de-select the “Unknown sources” option
in the Applications Settings menu on their device. If the option is not listed,
it means your mobile service provider has already done this for the user.
— When you install an app, you’ll see a list of permissions for services that
are granted access to the hardware and software components on your device, like
contacts, camera and location. If something in the permissions screen doesn’t
look right, don’t install that app! For example, a game or alarm clock app
probably shouldn’t need to access your contacts or have the ability to transmit
that data from your device.
— Don’t forget to Install antivirus software on your
phone. It is a good idea to install an antivirus program when you get a new
mobile device before you add any other apps.
According to Gartner 17.7 billion mobile apps are estimated to be downloaded in
2011 (a 115 percent increase from 2010). By 2012, mobile apps are projected to
generate more than $15 billion in app store revenues from end-users alone.
As the application market continues to boom, users should be more cautious
that they know what they’re installing,” said Lawrence Pingree, Gartner
analyst.
Recently, McAfee and LG Electronics announced their
partnership that will position LG to address the mobile security challenges
facing both enterprise and consumer segments.
By Telecomlead.com Team
