Pocket Viruses: Are You a Carrier?

 By Edward Burns

With more consumers using smartphones and mobile computing devices, the temptation for hackers increases. These are the guys that attempt to corrupt your system with viruses for the heck of it, or worse, to get you to install spyware so that they can bilk you out of money, steal your identity, and get other information.

One popular way to get you to install malware on your device is to pretend to be a legitimate program. You’re getting your GunBros freak on, fragging T.O.O.L’s with extreme prejudice when you are presented a new ad in the banner. You’re used to seeing these, but this new one is kind of catchy and, though you find that using a bikini-clad woman in an alluring pose is a little over-the-top for an ad selling a game, you decide to click on it. BINGO. They got you. You’ve just agreed to a new monthly subscription to be conveniently charged to your bill for a new texting program that does the same thing as your current one, but it reads all your messages and sends them overseas to a third-world country looking for nifty stuff to steal from you.

Another popular trick is to repackage perfectly legit programs with malware that, once you update the valid program, connects itself to said third-world country hackers, letting them into your phone, data, location, etc.

Lookout recently released a report that infected Android applications increased by 500% in the first half of 2011 (compiled from their Mobile Threat Network which collects data from their software users). With reports indicating that Android users today are 2.5 times more likely to get infected with malware than they were 6 months ago, let’s see how Android users can protect themselves from jerks, er, hackers, malware, and thieves ruining day by reviewing some free security software available on the Android Market.

Lookout Mobile Security

Lookout Mobile Security comes in freeware and a premium version. The freeware will scan new downloads for malware, scan your currently installed apps, locate your phone (and scream, but more on that later), as well as back up your contacts. Using my Motorola Atrix 4G, I installed Lookout and took a minute to complete the registration process. It grabbed my gmail.com email address from the phone and, after choosing a password and security components, Lookout scanned my apps and files. The initial scan took 1 minute on a device loaded with apps.

After everything checked out, I wanted to test Lookout’s ability to locate my phone. I made sure my GPS was off, put my phone into standby, and logged into my phone at myLookout.com. I clicked the “Missing Device” field  followed by “Locate.” A map showed that my device was in San Rafael(the city that I was in) and within a few moments pinpointed my device at the Starbucks where I was sitting. Lookout was smart enough to enable my GPS to find my phone to within 30 feet. SPLENDID! I was really tempted to hit “Scream,” which plays a loud siren at maximum volume no matter what your volume is currently set to, but the crowd in this café probably wouldn’t have appreciated it.

Perhaps the coolest thing around for lazy people and nay-sayers is that Lookout gives you Plan-B, software that you can install directly from market.android.com in the event that you lost your phone and didn’t install the Lookout Mobile Security software. It will send location updates to the gmail.com email address you registered on your phone, giving you a location and up to 5 updates. You can even borrow your friend’s phone and text “locate” to your phone to get updates. Though this is really good software, you would be much better off getting their full security suite.

Why you want it: Ever lose your phone in your rat’s nest apartment but can’t call it because you left it on silent? Well, login to your account, hit that “Scream” button, and locate your phone—it’s next to that month-old sock laundry, Sparky.

Why your girlfriend wants you to get it: She is not at ALL suspicious that you come home from “bowling” smelling like a five-cent pirate hooker. Nope. Not at all.

Why you want the Pro version: Left that phone and all of its incriminating “bowling” evidence at your girlfriend’s place? The Pro Version can backup your pictures as well as your contacts, lock and wipe your device, as well as transfer your data to a new device.

Dr.Web Light

Dr.Web is well known for its LiveCD bootable antivirus software for home computers amongst security and network experts.Dr.WebSecurityCenteris a simple interface that allows users to turn on “SpIDer Guard” to protect the system and view quarantined files.

The scanner has three options: Quick scan, Full scan, and Custom scan. I started a quick scan and let it work its magic and 55 seconds later found my phone clean (of malware). The software can automatically update its definitions, as well as check any SD card that you mount. The full version goes for $4.99 and adds the ability to filter SMS messages, incoming calls, and desktop widgets.

Why you want it: Although it is very basic, Dr.Web Light’s “Origins Tracing™” algorithm is designed to detect new viruses based on recompiled viruses as well as applications that utilize Android exploits for those of us nerds that like to root our devices. In non-nerd speak: “It works really well.”

Why your mom wants it: Actually, any customers who update their phones as often as every leap year will benefit. People with a low-end smartphone would benefit from the low resource consumption of Dr.Web Light– even slower processors can easily handle it.

Norton Mobile Security

One of the most recognized names in anti-virus and internet security, Norton by Symantec has launched their Mobile Security Beta software for Android, featuring a host of capabilities. It can track your phone, lock and wipe your device and features Call and SMS blocking to prevent spam and phishing SMS messages as well as phone calls from your mom asking you to come upstairs and do the dishes.

Malware scanning can be set up on a schedule for daily, weekly, and monthly. The anti-theft feature allows your buddies to send a text to your phone that will locate, lock and wipe it as well as unlock it when you finally find your device (I told you it was next to your laundry). The Web protection will warn you before you go into a website to any known dangers on that site. If you trust the site, you can proceed anyway.

While Norton is in beta, you can download a free 22 day trial. Upon completion of the 22 day trial, you can renew your free subscription for another 21 days (while still in beta).

Why you want it: Symantec is a reputable security software company and that yellow Norton symbol is reassuring to many a virus protection user.

Why your mom wants it: So she can block your “reminder” SMS to pick up more frozen pizzas and soda at the grocery store.

By the way Skip, the iPhone that you haven’t updated because you never plug it in to iTunes to get the latest firmware update is probably already infected through the jailbreak exploit. So drop the pizza and soda, plug in to iTunes, and do your update!

Edward Burns has worked in wireless retail sales for nine years, including seven years in management. He left wireless to get his English degree at U.C. Berkeley, but still loves to keep up with the happenings of wireless equipment. He is a gadget freak, builds his own computers, and is an early adopter of new technologies.