Kaspersky Lab has announced the update of its security solution for Android-based smartphones, explaining that the new version of Kaspersky Mobile Security brings two important additions to its wide-ranging anti-malware and anti-theft feature set.

These include extra support for the web management console, which offers users easier control over lost and stolen smartphones, and a new (aptly named) Mugshot feature, which enables users to take photos of anyone using their device without permission.

 

The company elaborated that its updated Mobile Security product makes it possible to wipe the data on the smartphone or restore the factory settings remotely, locate the device using an internal GPS receiver, or block the device so the data stored on it will not fall into the wrong hands.

 

Additionally, those who have been a victim of theft can control the device remotely via special SMS-based commands, while a SIM Watch feature continues to offer an alternative method of remote control.

 

 

The Mugshot feature, which was previously only available with Kaspersky Tablet Security solution for Android-based tablets, takes photos of anyone using the smartphone in question using the front-facing camera. These photos are then uploaded to a portal where the smartphone owner can view them.

 

“In this update we’ve paid specific attention to anti-theft features. We know that consumers often lose important data when their smartphone is lost or stolen. According to a recent survey, 14% of users have experienced an incident of this kind.

 

The new version of Kaspersky Mobile Security adds additional functionality in order to increase the chances of recovering a lost or stolen device,” commented Victor Dronov, the head of mobile products division at Kaspersky Lab.

 

 

The update comes at a time when smartphones in particular are being targeted by cybercriminals. The company pointed out that the  number of malicious programmes targeting smartphones almost trebled in the second quarter of 2012, with close to 15 000 new threats appearing in April-June.

 

It elaborated that more than 90% of all mobile malware is aimed at Android-based devices, making this platform the most vulnerable to cybercriminals. The solution from Kaspersky Lab also detects and blocks malicious websites when using the standard Android web browser.

 

The updated version of Kaspersky Mobile Security is available for purchase now at Kaspersky Lab’s website for R85.

 

 

Indeed, Kaspersky has long been a champion of mobile security, and has consistently throughout the year urged users to protect their mobile devices and warned about the ongoing cyber-assaults on the Android platform in particular.

 

The good news is that with the right measures, criminals can be foiled, stolen devices can in certain cases be recovered, the wave of malware can at least be mitigated if not avoided, and most importantly, critical data can be kept out of criminals’ hands.   

 

In recent news, Kaspersky warned that malicious spam activity was on the rise, and questioned the effectiveness of freely available antivirus solutions.